Structural and functional analysis of target recognition by the lymphocyte adaptor protein LNK

Rare SH2B3 coding variants in lupus patients impair B cell tolerance and predispose to autoimmunity

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease with a clear genetic component. While most SLE patients carry rare gene variants in lupus risk genes, little is known about their contribution to disease pathogenesis. Amongst them, SH2B3-a negative regulator of cytokine and growth factor receptor signaling-harbors rare coding variants in over 5% of SLE patients. Here, we show that unlike the variant found exclusively in healthy controls, SH2B3 rare variants found in lupus patients are predominantly hypomorphic alleles, failing to suppress IFNGR signaling via JAK2-STAT1. The generation of two mouse lines carrying patients' variants revealed that SH2B3 is important in limiting the number of immature and transitional B cells. Furthermore, hypomorphic SH2B3 was shown to impair the negative selection of immature/transitional self-reactive B cells and accelerate autoimmunity in sensitized mice, at least in part due to increased IL-4R signaling and BAFF-R expression. This work identifies a previously unappreciated role for SH2B3 in human B cell tolerance and lupus risk.

Modulation of JAK-STAT Signaling by LNK: A Forgotten Oncogenic Pathway in Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer

Breast cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Tumors that express hormone receptors account for 75% of all cases. Understanding alternative signaling cascades is important for finding new therapeutic targets for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients. JAK-STAT signaling is commonly activated in hormone receptor-positive breast tumors, inducing inflammation, proliferation, migration, and treatment resistance in cancer cells. In hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, the JAK-STAT cascade is stimulated by hormones and cytokines, such as prolactin and IL-6. In normal cells, JAK-STAT is inhibited by the action of the adaptor protein, LNK. However, the role of LNK in breast tumors is not fully understood. This review compiles published reports on the expression and activation of the JAK-STAT pathway by IL-6 and prolactin and potential inhibition of the cascade by LNK in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Additionally, it includes analyses of available datasets to determine the level of expression of LNK and various members of the JAK-STAT family for the purpose of establishing associations between expression and clinical outcomes. Together, experimental evidence and in silico studies provide a better understanding of the potential implications of the JAK-STAT-LNK loop in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer progression.

Integrative Analysis Reveals the Diverse Effects of 3D Stiffness upon Stem Cell Fate

The origin of life and native tissue development are dependent on the heterogeneity of pluripotent stem cells. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) are located in a complicated niche with variable matrix stiffnesses, resulting in divergent stem cell fates. However, how stiffness drives stem cell fate remains unknown. For this study, we performed whole-gene transcriptomics and precise untargeted metabolomics sequencing to elucidate the complex interaction network of stem cell transcriptional and metabolic signals in extracellular matrices (ECMs) with different stiffnesses, and we propose a potential mechanism involved in stem cell fate decision. In a stiff (39~45 kPa) ECM, biosynthesis of aminoacyl-tRNA was up-regulated, and increased osteogenesis was also observed. In a soft (7~10 kPa) ECM, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and deposition of glycosaminoglycans were increased, accompanied by enhanced adipogenic/chondrogenic differentiation of BMMSCs. In addition, a panel of genes responding to the stiffness of the ECM were validated in vitro, mapping out the key signaling network that regulates stem cells' fate decisions. This finding of "stiffness-dependent manipulation of stem cell fate" provides a novel molecular biological basis for development of potential therapeutic targets within tissue engineering, from both a cellular metabolic and a biomechanical perspective.

Biallelic deleterious germline SH2B3 variants cause a novel syndrome of myeloproliferation and multi-organ autoimmunity

SH2B3 is a negative regulator of multiple cytokine receptor signalling pathways in haematopoietic tissue. To date, a single kindred has been described with germline biallelic loss-of-function SH2B3 variants characterized by early onset developmental delay, hepatosplenomegaly and autoimmune thyroiditis/hepatitis. Herein, we described two further unrelated kindreds with germline biallelic loss-of-function SH2B3 variants that show striking phenotypic similarity to each other as well as to the previous kindred of myeloproliferation and multi-organ autoimmunity. One proband also suffered severe thrombotic complications. CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing of zebrafish sh2b3 created assorted deleterious variants in F0 crispants, which manifest significantly increased number of macrophages and thrombocytes, partially replicating the human phenotype. Treatment of the sh2b3 crispant fish with ruxolitinib intercepted this myeloproliferative phenotype. Skin-derived fibroblasts from one patient demonstrated increased phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT5 after stimulation with IL-3, GH, GM-CSF and EPO compared to healthy controls. In conclusion, these additional probands and functional data in combination with the previous kindred provide sufficient evidence for biallelic homozygous deleterious variants in SH2B3 to be considered a valid gene-disease association for a clinical syndrome of bone marrow myeloproliferation and multi-organ autoimmune manifestations.

The Role of LNK (SH2B3) in the Regulation of JAK-STAT Signalling in Haematopoiesis

LNK is a member of the SH2B family of adaptor proteins and is a non-redundant regulator of cytokine signalling. Cytokines are secreted intercellular messengers that bind to specific receptors on the surface of target cells to activate the Janus Kinase-Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (JAK-STAT) signalling pathway. Activation of the JAK-STAT pathway leads to proliferative and often inflammatory effects, and so the amplitude and duration of signalling are tightly controlled. LNK binds phosphotyrosine residues to signalling proteins downstream of cytokines and constrains JAK-STAT signalling. Mutations in LNK have been identified in a range of haematological and inflammatory diseases due to increased signalling following the loss of LNK function. Here, we review the regulation of JAK-STAT signalling via the adaptor protein LNK and discuss the role of LNK in haematological diseases.