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Baker FS, Wang J, Florez-Vargas O, Brand NR, Ogwang MD, Kerchan P, Reynolds SJ, Tenge CN, Were PA, Kuremu RT, Wekesa WN, Masalu N, Kawira E, Kinyera T, Otim I, Legason ID, Nabalende H, Chagaluka G, Mutalima N, Borgstein E, Liomba GN, Kamiza S, Mkandawire N, Mitambo C, Molyneux EM, Newton R, Prokunina-Olsson L, Mbulaiteye SM. IFNL4 Genotypes and Risk of Childhood Burkitt Lymphoma in East Africa. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2023; 43:394-402. [PMID: 37366802 PMCID: PMC10623078 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2023.0014] [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: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Interferon lambda 4 (IFN-λ4) is a novel type-III interferon that can be expressed only by carriers of the genetic variant rs368234815-dG within the first exon of the IFNL4 gene. Genetic inability to produce IFN-λ4 (in carriers of the rs368234815-TT/TT genotype) has been associated with improved clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The IFN-λ4-expressing rs368234815-dG allele (IFNL4-dG) is most common (up to 78%) in West sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), compared to 35% of Europeans and 5% of individuals from East Asia. The negative selection of IFNL4-dG outside Africa suggests that its retention in African populations could provide survival benefits, most likely in children. To explore this hypothesis, we conducted a comprehensive association analysis between IFNL4 genotypes and the risk of childhood Burkitt lymphoma (BL), a lethal infection-associated cancer most common in SSA. We used genetic, epidemiologic, and clinical data for 4,038 children from the Epidemiology of Burkitt Lymphoma in East African Children and Minors (EMBLEM) and the Malawi Infections and Childhood Cancer case-control studies. Generalized linear mixed models fit with the logit link controlling for age, sex, country, P. falciparum infection status, population stratification, and relatedness found no significant association between BL risk and 3 coding genetic variants within IFNL4 (rs368234815, rs117648444, and rs142981501) and their combinations. Because BL occurs in children 6-9 years of age who survived early childhood infections, our results suggest that additional studies should explore the associations of IFNL4-dG allele in younger children. This comprehensive study represents an important baseline in defining the health effects of IFN-λ4 in African populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francine S. Baker
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeanny Wang
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Oscar Florez-Vargas
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Nathan R. Brand
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Martin D. Ogwang
- EMBLEM Study, St. Mary's Hospital, Lacor, Uganda
- EMBLEM Study, African Field Epidemiology Network, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Patrick Kerchan
- EMBLEM Study, African Field Epidemiology Network, Kampala, Uganda
- EMBLEM Study, Kuluva Hospital, Arua, Uganda
| | - Steven J. Reynolds
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Pamela A. Were
- EMBLEM Study, Academic Model Providing Access To Healthcare (AMPATH), Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Robert T. Kuremu
- EMBLEM Study, Moi University College of Health Sciences, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - Walter N. Wekesa
- EMBLEM Study, Moi University College of Health Sciences, Eldoret, Kenya
| | | | - Esther Kawira
- EMBLEM Study, Shirati Health, Education, and Development Foundation, Shirati, Tanzania
| | - Tobias Kinyera
- EMBLEM Study, St. Mary's Hospital, Lacor, Uganda
- EMBLEM Study, African Field Epidemiology Network, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Isaac Otim
- EMBLEM Study, St. Mary's Hospital, Lacor, Uganda
- EMBLEM Study, African Field Epidemiology Network, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ismail D. Legason
- EMBLEM Study, African Field Epidemiology Network, Kampala, Uganda
- EMBLEM Study, Kuluva Hospital, Arua, Uganda
| | - Hadijah Nabalende
- EMBLEM Study, St. Mary's Hospital, Lacor, Uganda
- EMBLEM Study, African Field Epidemiology Network, Kampala, Uganda
| | - George Chagaluka
- Department of Pediatrics and Surgery, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Nora Mutalima
- Epidemiology and Cancer Statistics Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Eric Borgstein
- Department of Pediatrics and Surgery, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - George N. Liomba
- Department of Pediatrics and Surgery, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Steve Kamiza
- Department of Pediatrics and Surgery, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Nyengo Mkandawire
- Department of Pediatrics and Surgery, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | | | - Elizabeth M. Molyneux
- Department of Pediatrics and Surgery, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Robert Newton
- Epidemiology and Cancer Statistics Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sam M. Mbulaiteye
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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Bharatiya S, Agarwal A, Chinnaswamy S. A Novel Inactive Isoform with a Restored Reading Frame Is Expressed from the Human Interferon Lambda 4 TT Allele at rs368234815. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2023; 43:370-378. [PMID: 36880961 PMCID: PMC10517323 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2022.0199] [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: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The TT allele of the dinucleotide variant rs368234815 (TT/ΔG) abolishes the open reading frame (ORF) created by the ancestral ΔG allele of the human interferon lambda 4 (IFNL4) gene, thus preventing the expression of a functional IFN-λ4 protein. While probing the expression of IFN-λ4 in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), using a monoclonal antibody that binds to the C-terminus of IFN-λ4, surprisingly, we observed that PBMCs obtained from TT/TT genotype individuals could also express proteins that reacted with the IFN-λ4-specific antibody. We confirmed that these products did not emanate from the IFNL4 paralog, IF1IC2 gene. Using cell lines and overexpressing human IFNL4 gene constructs, we obtained evidence from Western blots to show that the TT allele could express a protein that reacted with the IFN-λ4 C-terminal-specific antibody. It had a molecular weight similar if not identical to IFN-λ4 expressed from the ΔG allele. Furthermore, the same start and stop codons used by the ΔG allele were used to express the novel isoform from the TT allele suggesting that a restoration of the ORF had occurred in the body of the mRNA. However, this TT allele isoform did not induce any IFN-stimulated gene expression. Our data do not support a ribosomal frameshift that leads to the expression of this new isoform, implying that an alternate splicing event may be responsible. An N-terminal-specific monoclonal antibody did not react with the novel protein isoform suggesting that the alternate splicing event likely occurs beyond exon 2. The new isoform is glycosylated similar to the functional IFN-λ4 and is also secreted. Furthermore, we show that the ΔG allele can also potentially express a similarly frameshifted isoform. The splicing event that leads to the generation of these novel isoforms and their functional significance remains to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seema Bharatiya
- Infectious Disease Genetics, National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, West Bengal, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, India
| | - Aditya Agarwal
- Infectious Disease Genetics, National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, West Bengal, India
| | - Sreedhar Chinnaswamy
- Infectious Disease Genetics, National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, West Bengal, India
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3
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Minas TZ, Lord BD, Zhang AL, Candia J, Dorsey TH, Baker FS, Tang W, Bailey-Whyte M, Smith CJ, Obadi OM, Ajao A, Jordan SV, Tettey Y, Biritwum RB, Adjei AA, Mensah JE, Hoover RN, Hsing AW, Liu J, Loffredo CA, Yates C, Cook MB, Ambs S. Circulating trans fatty acids are associated with prostate cancer in Ghanaian and American men. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4322. [PMID: 37468456 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39865-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The association between fatty acids and prostate cancer remains poorly explored in African-descent populations. Here, we analyze 24 circulating fatty acids in 2934 men, including 1431 prostate cancer cases and 1503 population controls from Ghana and the United States, using CLIA-certified mass spectrometry-based assays. We investigate their associations with population groups (Ghanaian, African American, European American men), lifestyle factors, the fatty acid desaturase (FADS) genetic locus, and prostate cancer. Blood levels of circulating fatty acids vary significantly between the three population groups, particularly trans, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. FADS1/2 germline genetic variants and lifestyle factors explain some of the variation in fatty acid levels, with the FADS1/2 locus showing population-specific associations, suggesting differences in their control by germline genetic factors. All trans fatty acids, namely elaidic, palmitelaidic, and linoelaidic acids, associated with an increase in the odds of developing prostate cancer, independent of ancestry, geographic location, or potential confounders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsion Zewdu Minas
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Center for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Brittany D Lord
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Amy L Zhang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Julián Candia
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tiffany H Dorsey
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Francine S Baker
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Wei Tang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
- Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, R&D, AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Maeve Bailey-Whyte
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
- School of Medicine, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Cheryl J Smith
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Obadi M Obadi
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anuoluwapo Ajao
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Symone V Jordan
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yao Tettey
- University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana
| | | | | | | | - Robert N Hoover
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, NCI, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Ann W Hsing
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Jia Liu
- Cancer Genomics Research Laboratory, NCI, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | - Clayton Yates
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Urology and the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michael B Cook
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics, NCI, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Stefan Ambs
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA.
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4
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Bailey-Whyte M, Minas TZ, Dorsey TH, Smith CJ, Loffredo CA, Ambs S. Systemic Inflammation Indices and Association with Prostate Cancer Survival in a Diverse Patient Cohort. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15061869. [PMID: 36980755 PMCID: PMC10047449 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a lack of investigations assessing the performance of systemic inflammation indices as outcome predictive tools in African Americans with prostate cancer. This study aims to assess the relationships between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation (SII), and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) with survival outcomes among 680 diverse men with prostate cancer. Routine blood results were collected from self-identified African American and European American patients. We applied multivariable Cox regression modeling to examine the associations of systemic inflammation indices with overall and prostate cancer-specific survival. The median survival follow-up was 5.9 years, with 194 deaths. NLR, SII, and SIRI, but not PLR, showed associations with all-cause and prostate cancer-specific mortality when coded as dichotomized and continuous variables. NLR and SIRI were significantly associated with prostate cancer-specific mortality among all men (hazard ratio (HR) 2.56 for high vs. low NLR; HR 3.24 for high vs. low SIRI) and African American men (HR 2.96 for high vs. low NLR; HR 3.19 for high vs. low SIRI). Among European Americans, only SII showed an association with prostate cancer-specific survival. These observations suggest that inflammation indices merit further study as predictors of prostate cancer mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeve Bailey-Whyte
- School of Medicine, University of Limerick, V94 XD21 Limerick, Ireland
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tsion Z Minas
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tiffany H Dorsey
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Cheryl J Smith
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Christopher A Loffredo
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Stefan Ambs
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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5
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Prokunina-Olsson L. A Conversation with Dr. Ludmila Prokunina-Olsson. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2022; 42:462-466. [PMID: 36121375 PMCID: PMC9641989 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2022.29043.lup] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila Prokunina-Olsson
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, USA
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6
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Human herpesvirus 8 infection is associated with prostate cancer among IFNL4-ΔG carriers. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 2022:10.1038/s41391-022-00546-1. [PMID: 35468990 PMCID: PMC9592685 DOI: 10.1038/s41391-022-00546-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The dinucleotide germline variant, rs368234815-ΔG, in the IFNL4 gene (IFNL4-ΔG) has been associated with prostate cancer among men at increased risk of sexually transmitted infections and reported to impair viral clearance. Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) seropositivity has been associated with prostate cancer in Tobago.
Methods
We examined whether the association of HHV-8 with prostate cancer is IFNL4-ΔG-dependent among 728 IFNL4-ΔG-genotyped cases and 813 genotyped population-based controls from the NCI-Maryland Prostate Cancer Case-Control study. Associations between HHV-8 and prostate cancer were assessed in multivariable unconditional logistic regression models. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (OR) and stratified the analysis into men harboring the IFNL4-ΔG-variant and non-carriers (ΔG/ΔG or ΔG/TT vs. TT/TT).
Results
HHV-8 seropositivity was higher in cases than controls (11% vs. 6%) and this association was restricted to carriers of the ΔG allele (OR 2.19: 95% CI:1.38–3.48) in both African American (OR 1.96; 95% CI:1.08–3.56) and European American men (OR 2.59; 95% CI:1.20–5.56).
Conclusions
HHV-8 seropositivity is associated with increased odds of prostate cancer in men harboring the IFNL4 rs368234815-ΔG variant. This study describes HHV-8 infection as a candidate prostate cancer risk factor in men with the IFNL4-ΔG genotype and supports the hypothesis that IFNL4-ΔG is a susceptibility factor that contributes to prostate cancer.
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Serum proteomics links suppression of tumor immunity to ancestry and lethal prostate cancer. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1759. [PMID: 35365620 PMCID: PMC8975871 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29235-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
There is evidence that tumor immunobiology and immunotherapy response may differ between African American and European American prostate cancer patients. Here, we determine if men of African descent harbor a unique systemic immune-oncological signature and measure 82 circulating proteins in almost 3000 Ghanaian, African American, and European American men. Protein signatures for suppression of tumor immunity and chemotaxis are elevated in men of West African ancestry. Importantly, the suppression of tumor immunity protein signature associates with metastatic and lethal prostate cancer, pointing to clinical importance. Moreover, two markers, pleiotrophin and TNFRSF9, predict poor disease survival specifically among African American men. These findings indicate that immune-oncology marker profiles differ between men of African and European descent. These differences may contribute to the disproportionate burden of lethal prostate cancer in men of African ancestry. The elevated peripheral suppression of tumor immunity may have important implication for guidance of cancer therapy which could particularly benefit African American patients. Ancestry-related differences in immunobiology may explain the health disparities observed in prostate cancer patients, with men of African origin bearing the highest prostate cancer burden. By measuring immune-related proteins in serum samples, here the authors report that systemic cytokines linked to suppression of tumor immunity are upregulated in men of African ancestry and associated with reduced survival.
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De M, Bhushan A, Grubbe WS, Roy S, Mendoza JL, Chinnaswamy S. Distinct molecular phenotypes involving several human diseases are induced by IFN-λ3 and IFN-λ4 in monocyte-derived macrophages. Genes Immun 2022; 23:73-84. [PMID: 35115664 PMCID: PMC9042695 DOI: 10.1038/s41435-022-00164-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Human Interferon (IFN) lambda 3 (IFN-λ3) and IFN-λ4 are closely linked at the IFNL locus and show association with several diseases in genetic studies. Since they are only ~30% identical to each other, to better understand their roles in disease phenotypes, comparative studies are needed. Monocytes are precursors to macrophages (monocyte-derived macrophages; MDMs) that get differentiated under the influence of various immune factors, including IFNs. In a recent study, we characterized lipopolysaccharide-activated M1 and M2-MDMs that were differentiated in presence of IFN-λ3 or IFN-λ4. In this study, we performed transcriptomics on these M1 and M2-MDMs to further understand their molecular phenotypes. We identified over 760 genes that were reciprocally regulated by IFN-λ3 and IFN-λ4, additionally we identified over 240 genes that are significantly affected by IFN-λ4 but not IFN-λ3. We observed that IFN-λ3 was more active in M2-MDMs while IFN-λ4 showed superior response in M1-MDMs. Providing a structural explanation for these functional differences, molecular modeling showed differences in expected interactions of IFN-λ3 and IFN-λ4 with the extracellular domain of IFN-λR1. Further, pathway analysis showed several human infectious diseases and even cancer-related pathways being significantly affected by IFN-λ3 and/or IFN-λ4 in both M1 and M2-MDMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjarika De
- National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, West Bengal, 741251, India
| | - Anand Bhushan
- National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, West Bengal, 741251, India
- Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute & Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - William S Grubbe
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Subhajit Roy
- National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, West Bengal, 741251, India
| | - Juan L Mendoza
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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Epstein RJ. The secret identities of TMPRSS2: Fertility factor, virus trafficker, inflammation moderator, prostate protector and tumor suppressor. Tumour Biol 2021; 43:159-176. [PMID: 34420994 DOI: 10.3233/tub-211502] [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: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The human TMPRSS2 gene is pathogenetically implicated in both coronaviral lung infection and prostate cancer, suggesting its potential as a drug target in both contexts. SARS-COV-2 spike polypeptides are primed by the host transmembrane TMPRSS2 protease, triggering virus fusion with epithelial cell membranes followed by an endocytotic internalisation process that bypasses normal endosomal activation of cathepsin-mediated innate immunity; viral co-opting of TMPRSS2 thus favors microbial survivability by attenuating host inflammatory responses. In contrast, most early hormone-dependent prostate cancers express TMPRSS2:ERG fusion genes arising from deletions that eliminate the TMPRSS2 coding region while juxtaposing its androgen-inducible promoter and the open reading frame of ERG, upregulating pro-inflammatory ERG while functionally disabling TMPRSS2. Moreover, inflammatory oxidative DNA damage selects for TMPRSS2:ERG-fused cancers, whereas patients treated with antiinflammatory drugs develop fewer of these fusion-dependent tumors. These findings imply that TMPRSS2 protects the prostate by enabling endosomal bypass of pathogens which could otherwise trigger inflammation-induced DNA damage that predisposes to TMPRSS2:ERG fusions. Hence, the high oncogenic selectability of TMPRSS2:ERG fusions may reflect a unique pro-inflammatory synergy between androgenic ERG gain-of-function and fusogenic TMPRSS2 loss-of-function, cautioning against the use of TMPRSS2-inhibitory drugs to prevent or treat early prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Epstein
- New Hope Cancer Center, Beijing United Hospital, Jiangtai Xi Rd 9-11, Chaoyang, Beijing, China.,Garvan Institute of Medical Research, and UNSW Medical School, St Vincent's Hospital, Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, Australia
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10
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Urinary PGE-M in Men with Prostate Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13164073. [PMID: 34439226 PMCID: PMC8391815 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Elevated levels of urinary prostaglandin E metabolite (PGE-M), a marker of inflammation, have previously been associated with cancer incidence and metastasis. Studies investigating PGE-M in prostate cancer are lacking even though chronic inflammation is a candidate risk factor for the disease. We investigated the association of PGE-M with lethal prostate cancer. We measured PGE-M in the urine of men with prostate cancer and in men without prostate cancer (population controls). Our participants included African American and European American men. Because African American men die more frequently from prostate cancer than European American men, we investigated whether high PGE-M may contribute to the increased mortality among African American prostate cancer patients. We did not observe a relationship between PGE-M and prostate cancer aggressiveness or prostate cancer-specific mortality in our study population, neither in the combined cohort nor in the race/ethnicity stratified analysis. Interestingly, however, we observed a significant relationship between high PGE-M and all-cause mortality in African American men with prostate cancer. Yet, there was no association between high PGE-M and all-cause mortality when these men were regular aspirin users. Abstract Urinary PGE-M is a stable metabolite of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). PGE2 is a product of the inflammatory COX signaling pathway and has been associated with cancer incidence and metastasis. Its synthesis can be inhibited by aspirin. We investigated the association of PGE-M with lethal prostate cancer in a case–control study of African American (AA) and European American men. We measured urinary PGE-M using mass-spectrometry. Samples were obtained from 977 cases and 1022 controls at the time of recruitment. We applied multivariable logistic and Cox regression modeling to examine associations of PGE-M with prostate cancer and participant survival. Median survival follow-up was 8.4 years, with 246 deaths among cases. Self-reported aspirin use over the past 5 years was assessed with a questionnaire. Race/ethnicity was self-reported. Urinary PGE-M levels did not differ between men with prostate cancer and population-based controls. We observed no association between PGE-M and aggressive disease nor prostate-cancer-specific survival. However, we observed a statistically significant association between higher (>median) PGE-M and all-cause mortality in AA cases who did not regularly use aspirin (HR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.23–3.37). Among cases who reported using aspirin, there was no association. Our study does not support a meaningful association between urinary PGE-M and prostate cancer. Moreover, PGE-M levels were not associated with aggressive prostate cancer. However, the observed association between elevated PGE-M and all-cause mortality in AA non-aspirin users reinforces the potential benefit of aspirin to reduce mortality among AA men with prostate cancer.
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11
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De M, Bhushan A, Chinnaswamy S. Monocytes differentiated into macrophages and dendritic cells in the presence of human IFN-λ3 or IFN-λ4 show distinct phenotypes. J Leukoc Biol 2021; 110:357-374. [PMID: 33205487 PMCID: PMC7611425 DOI: 10.1002/jlb.3a0120-001rrr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human IFN-λ4 is expressed by only a subset of individuals who possess the ΔG variant allele at the dinucleotide polymorphism rs368234815. Recent genetic studies have shown an association between rs368234815 and different infectious and inflammatory disorders. It is not known if IFN-λ4 has immunomodulatory activity. The expression of another type III IFN, IFN-λ3, is also controlled by genetic polymorphisms that are strongly linked to rs368234815. Therefore, it is of interest to compare these two IFNs for their effects on immune cells. Herein, using THP-1 cells, it was confirmed that IFN-λ4 could affect the differentiation status of macrophage-like cells and dendritic cells (DCs). The global gene expression changes induced by IFN-λ4 were also characterized in in vitro generated primary macrophages. Next, human PBMC-derived CD14+ monocytes were used to obtain M1 and M2 macrophages and DCs in the presence of IFN-λ3 or IFN-λ4. These DCs were cocultured with CD4+ Th cells derived from allogenic donors and their in vitro cytokine responses were measured. The specific activity of recombinant IFN-λ4 was much lower than that of IFN-λ3, as shown by induction of IFN-stimulated genes. M1 macrophages differentiated in the presence of IFN-λ4 showed higher IL-10 secretion than those differentiated in IFN-λ3. Coculture experiments suggested that IFN-λ4 could confer a Th2-biased phenotype to allogenic Th cells, wherein IFN-λ3, under similar circumstances, did not induce a significant bias toward either a Th1 or Th2 phenotype. This study shows for the first time that IFN-λ4 may influence immune responses by immunomodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjarika De
- National Institute of Biomedical GenomicsKalyaniWest BengalIndia
| | - Anand Bhushan
- National Institute of Biomedical GenomicsKalyaniWest BengalIndia
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12
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Kiely M, Milne GL, Minas TZ, Dorsey TH, Tang W, Smith CJ, Baker F, Loffredo CA, Yates C, Cook MB, Ambs S. Urinary Thromboxane B2 and Lethal Prostate Cancer in African American Men. J Natl Cancer Inst 2021; 114:123-129. [PMID: 34264335 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djab129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thromboxane A2 (TXA2) is a platelet- and cyclooxygenase-derived eicosanoid that has been linked to metastasis. We investigated the role of TXA2 in the development of lethal prostate cancer in African American (AA) and European American (EA) men. METHODS We measured urinary 11-dehydrothromboxane B2 (TXB2), a stable metabolite of TXA2, with mass-spectrometry. Samples were obtained from 977 cases and 1022 controls at time of recruitment. We applied multivariable logistic and Cox regression modeling to examine associations of TXB2 with prostate cancer and patient survival. Median survival follow-up was 8.4 years with 246 deaths among cases. Aspirin use was assessed with a questionnaire. Race/ethnicity was self-reported. RESULTS Urinary TXB2 was inversely associated with aspirin use. High (> median) TXB2 was associated with prostate cancer in AA (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]= 1.13-2.00) but not EA men (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.82-1.40), suggesting upregulated TXA2 synthesis in AA men with prostate cancer. High TXB2 was positively associated with metastatic prostate cancer (OR = 2.60, 95%CI = 1.08-6.28), compared with low (≤ median) TXB2. Furthermore, high TXB2 was also associated with all-cause (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.06-2.40) and prostate cancer-specific mortality (hazard ratio = 4.74, 95%CI = 1.62-13.88 in AA men only. CONCLUSION We report a distinct association of TXB2 with prostate cancer outcomes in AA men. In this high-risk group of men, upregulation of TXA2/TXB2 synthesis may promote metastasis and lethal disease. Our observation identifies a potential benefit of aspirin in preventing lethal prostate cancer through inhibition of TXA2 synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeve Kiely
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ginger L Milne
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Tsion Z Minas
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Tiffany H Dorsey
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Wei Tang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Cheryl J Smith
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Francine Baker
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher A Loffredo
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Clayton Yates
- Department of Biology, Center for Cancer Research, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama, USA
| | - Michael B Cook
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Stefan Ambs
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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13
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Kiely M, Ambs S. Immune Inflammation Pathways as Therapeutic Targets to Reduce Lethal Prostate Cancer in African American Men. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:2874. [PMID: 34207505 PMCID: PMC8227648 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13122874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite substantial improvements in cancer survival, not all population groups have benefitted equally from this progress. For prostate cancer, men of African descent in the United States and England continue to have about double the rate of fatal disease compared to other men. Studies suggest that when there is equal access to care, survival disparities are greatly diminished. However, notable differences exist in prostate tumor biology across population groups. Ancestral factors and disparate exposures can lead to altered tumor biology, resulting in a distinct disease etiology by population group. While equal care remains the key target to improve survival, additional efforts should be made to gain comprehensive knowledge of the tumor biology in prostate cancer patients of African descent. Such an approach may identify novel intervention strategies in the era of precision medicine. A growing body of evidence shows that inflammation and the immune response may play a distinct role in prostate cancer disparities. Low-grade chronic inflammation and an inflammatory tumor microenvironment are more prevalent in African American patients and have been associated with adverse outcomes. Thus, differences in activation of immune-inflammatory pathways between African American and European American men with prostate cancer may exist. These differences may influence the response to immune therapy which is consistent with recent observations. This review will discuss mechanisms by which inflammation may contribute to the disparate outcomes experienced by African American men with prostate cancer and how these immunogenic and inflammatory vulnerabilities could be exploited to improve their survival.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefan Ambs
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
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14
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Minas TZ, Kiely M, Ajao A, Ambs S. An overview of cancer health disparities: new approaches and insights and why they matter. Carcinogenesis 2021; 42:2-13. [PMID: 33185680 PMCID: PMC7717137 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgaa121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer health disparities remain stubbornly entrenched in the US health care system. The Affordable Care Act was legislation to target these disparities in health outcomes. Expanded access to health care, reduction in tobacco use, uptake of other preventive measures and cancer screening, and improved cancer therapies greatly reduced cancer mortality among women and men and underserved communities in this country. Yet, disparities in cancer outcomes remain. Underserved populations continue to experience an excessive cancer burden. This burden is largely explained by health care disparities, lifestyle factors, cultural barriers, and disparate exposures to carcinogens and pathogens, as exemplified by the COVID-19 epidemic. However, research also shows that comorbidities, social stress, ancestral and immunobiological factors, and the microbiome, may contribute to health disparities in cancer risk and survival. Recent studies revealed that comorbid conditions can induce an adverse tumor biology, leading to a more aggressive disease and decreased patient survival. In this review, we will discuss unanswered questions and new opportunities in cancer health disparity research related to comorbid chronic diseases, stress signaling, the immune response, and the microbiome, and what contribution these factors may have as causes of cancer health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsion Zewdu Minas
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center of Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Maeve Kiely
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center of Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anuoluwapo Ajao
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center of Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Stefan Ambs
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Center of Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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15
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Huschka H, Mihm S. Interferon-lambda (IFNL) germline variations and their significance for HCC and PDAC progression: an analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:1131. [PMID: 33228589 PMCID: PMC7682090 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07589-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are malignancies with a leading lethality. With reference to interferons (IFNs) known to mediate antitumor activities, this study investigated the relationship between germline genetic variations in type III IFN genes and cancer disease progression from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data. The genetic variations under study tag a gain-or-loss-of-function dinucleotide polymorphism within the IFNL4 gene, rs368234815 [TT/ΔG]. METHODS The entirety of the TCGA sequencing data was used to assess genotypes of 187 patients with HCC and of 162 patients with PDAC matched for ethnicity. Stratified for IFNL genotypes, both cohorts were subjected to time-to-event analyses according to Kaplan-Meier with regard to the length of the specific progression free interval (PFI) and the overall survival (OS) time as two clinical endpoints for disease progression. RESULTS Logrank analysis revealed a significant relationship between IFNL genotypes and disease outcome for PDAC. This relationship was not found for HCC. A multiple Cox regression analysis employing patients' age, tumor grade and tumor stage as further covariates proved IFNL genotypes to be independent predictors for PDAC disease outcome. CONCLUSION This repository-based approach unveiled clinical evidence suggestive for an impact of IFNL germline variations for PDAC progression with an IFNL haplotype predisposing for IFNL4 expression being favorable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henriette Huschka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology, and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Sabine Mihm
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology, and Endocrinology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075, Goettingen, Germany.
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16
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Nakhaie M, Charostad J, Kaydani GA, Faghihloo E. The role of viruses in adenocarcinoma development. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 86:104603. [PMID: 33091575 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is a leading public health issue that accounts for million deaths around the world every year. Human cancers contain over 100 types, which are categorized into different groups. Adenocarcinoma is one of those categories of cancer that begins from the glans and involves various tissues such as lung, esophagus, pancreas, prostate and colorectal. A range of risk factors has been identified for the development and progression of adenocarcinomas. One of these risk factors are viruses that serves special mechanisms to affect important host cell factors and tumorigenic pathways, contributing in development and promotion of adenocarcinomas. Here, we summarized the main viruses and their mechanisms implicated in the course of various adenocarcinomas development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Nakhaie
- Department of Medical Virology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Medical Microbiology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Javad Charostad
- Department of Medical Virology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Microbiology, Shahid Sadoghi University of Medical Science, Yazd, Iran
| | - Gholam Abbas Kaydani
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, Student Research Committee, School of Paramedicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, IR, Iran
| | - Ebrahim Faghihloo
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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17
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Interferons and viruses induce a novel truncated ACE2 isoform and not the full-length SARS-CoV-2 receptor. Nat Genet 2020; 52:1283-1293. [PMID: 33077916 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-020-00731-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19, utilizes angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) for entry into target cells. ACE2 has been proposed as an interferon-stimulated gene (ISG). Thus, interferon-induced variability in ACE2 expression levels could be important for susceptibility to COVID-19 or its outcomes. Here, we report the discovery of a novel, transcriptionally independent truncated isoform of ACE2, which we designate as deltaACE2 (dACE2). We demonstrate that dACE2, but not ACE2, is an ISG. In The Cancer Genome Atlas, the expression of dACE2 was enriched in squamous tumors of the respiratory, gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts. In vitro, dACE2, which lacks 356 amino-terminal amino acids, was non-functional in binding the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and as a carboxypeptidase. Our results suggest that the ISG-type induction of dACE2 in IFN-high conditions created by treatments, an inflammatory tumor microenvironment or viral co-infections is unlikely to increase the cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2 and promote infection.
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18
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Onabajo OO, Banday AR, Yan W, Obajemu A, Stanifer ML, Santer DM, Florez-Vargas O, Piontkivska H, Vargas J, Kee C, Tyrrell DLJ, Mendoza JL, Boulant S, Prokunina-Olsson L. Interferons and viruses induce a novel primate-specific isoform dACE2 and not the SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2020. [PMID: 32743577 PMCID: PMC7386494 DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.19.210955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19, utilizes angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) for entry into target cells. ACE2 has been proposed as an interferon-stimulated gene (ISG). Thus, interferon-induced variability in ACE2 expression levels could be important for susceptibility to COVID-19 or its outcomes. Here, we report the discovery of a novel, primate-specific isoform of ACE2, which we designate as deltaACE2 (dACE2). We demonstrate that dACE2, but not ACE2, is an ISG. In vitro, dACE2, which lacks 356 N-terminal amino acids, was non-functional in binding the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and as a carboxypeptidase. Our results reconcile current knowledge on ACE2 expression and suggest that the ISG-type induction of dACE2 in IFN-high conditions created by treatments, inflammatory tumor microenvironment, or viral co-infections is unlikely to affect the cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2 and promote infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olusegun O Onabajo
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - A Rouf Banday
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Wusheng Yan
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Adeola Obajemu
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Megan L Stanifer
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Deanna M Santer
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology and Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Oscar Florez-Vargas
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Helen Piontkivska
- Department of Biological Sciences and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Joselin Vargas
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carmon Kee
- Division of Cellular Polarity and Viral Infection, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - D Lorne J Tyrrell
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology and Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Juan L Mendoza
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Steeve Boulant
- Division of Cellular Polarity and Viral Infection, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ludmila Prokunina-Olsson
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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19
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The IFNL4 Gene Is a Noncanonical Interferon Gene with a Unique but Evolutionarily Conserved Regulation. J Virol 2020; 94:JVI.01535-19. [PMID: 31776283 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01535-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Interferon lambda 4 (IFN-λ4) is a recently identified enigmatic member of the interferon (IFN) lambda family. Genetic data suggest that the IFNL4 gene acts in a proviral and anti-inflammatory manner in patients. However, the protein is indistinguishable in vitro from the other members of the interferon lambda family. We have investigated the gene regulation of IFNL4 in detail and found that it differs radically from that of canonical antiviral interferons. Being induced by viral infection is a defining characteristic of interferons, but viral infection or overexpression of members of the interferon regulatory factor (IRF) family of transcription factors only leads to a minute induction of IFNL4 This behavior is evolutionarily conserved and can be reversed by inserting a functional IRF3 binding site into the IFNL4 promoter. Thus, the regulation of the IFNL4 gene is radically different and might explain some of the atypical phenotypes associated with the IFNL4 gene in humans.IMPORTANCE Recent genetic evidence has highlighted how the IFNL4 gene acts in a counterintuitive manner, as patients with a nonfunctional IFNL4 gene exhibit increased clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) but also increased liver inflammation. This suggests that the IFNL4 gene acts in a proviral and anti-inflammatory manner. These surprising but quite clear genetic data have prompted an extensive examination of the basic characteristics of the IFNL4 gene and its gene product, interferon lambda 4 (IFN-λ4). We have investigated the expression of the IFNL4 gene and found it to be poorly induced by viral infections. A thorough investigation of the IFNL4 promoter revealed a highly conserved and functional promoter, but also one that lacks the defining characteristic of interferons (IFNs), i.e., the ability to be effectively induced by viral infections. We suggest that the unique function of the IFNL4 gene is related to its noncanonical transcriptional regulation.
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20
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Fang MZ, Jackson SS, O'Brien TR. IFNL4: Notable variants and associated phenotypes . Gene 2019; 730:144289. [PMID: 31846709 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2019.144289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Interferon lambda proteins activate the JAK-STAT signalling pathway, resulting in upregulation of genes with antiviral effects. The interferon lambda family was initially thought to be redundant to the interferon alpha family, which signals through the same pathway, except for the more limited expression of the IFNLR1 receptor. However, recent studies show that interferon lambdas uniquely protect tissue barriers against a wide range of important viral infections. The interferon lambda 4 gene (IFNL4) was discovered in 2013. The IFNL4 protein is determined by the IFNL4-ΔG/TT (rs368234815) variant. The ancestral IFNL4-ΔG allele generates IFNL4, whereas IFNL4-TT causes pre-mature termination of the protein. Surprisingly, although interferons are generally antiviral proteins, the genotypes that generate the IFNL4 protein are strongly linked to impaired clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV). IFNL4 genotype has also been linked to variation within the HCV genome, as well as risk of hepatic fibrosis, certain cancers and some infectious diseases. There has been very strong evolutionary selection against the ancestral IFNL4-ΔG allele, which is the major form in African populations, but the minor allele in Europeans and Asians. The reason for this selection and the biological mechanisms underlying observed phenotypic associations remain to be explained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Z Fang
- Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9609 Medical Center Dr, 6E108, MSC 9767, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sarah S Jackson
- Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9609 Medical Center Dr, 6E108, MSC 9767, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Thomas R O'Brien
- Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9609 Medical Center Dr, 6E108, MSC 9767, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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21
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Carrick DM. Interferon Lambda: An Immune System Factor That Cancer Epidemiologists Should Consider. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2019; 39:592-593. [PMID: 30892117 PMCID: PMC6767861 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2019.0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Mercatante Carrick
- Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland
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22
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O'Brien TR, Hartmann R, Prokunina-Olsson L. What makes the hepatitis C virus evolve? eLife 2019; 8:e50148. [PMID: 31478837 PMCID: PMC6721787 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Polymorphisms in the IFNL4 gene that affect both the presence and the form of the coded protein are associated with changes in the hepatitis C virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas R O'Brien
- Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and GeneticsNational Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Rune Hartmann
- Department of Molecular BiologyUniversity of AarhusAarhusDenmark
| | - Ludmila Prokunina-Olsson
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and GeneticsNational Cancer Institute, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
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Onabajo OO, Muchmore B, Prokunina-Olsson L. The IFN-λ4 Conundrum: When a Good Interferon Goes Bad. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2019; 39:636-641. [PMID: 31241411 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2019.0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its discovery in 2013, interferon lambda 4 (IFN-λ4) has received a reputation as a paradoxical type III IFN. Difficulties in detecting IFN-λ4, especially in secreted form even led to questions about its existence. However, the genetic ability to generate IFN-λ4, determined by the presence of the rs368234815-ΔG allele, is the strongest predictor of impaired clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in humans. Significant modulation of IFN-λ4 activity by a genetic variant (P70S) supports IFN-λ4, and not other type III IFNs encoded in the same genomic locus, as the primary functional cause of the association with HCV clearance. Although the ability to produce IFN-λ4 is associated with decreased HCV clearance, the recombinant IFN-λ4 is active against HCV and other viruses. These observations present an apparent conundrum-when and how does a presumably good IFN, with anti-HCV activity, interfere with the ability to clear HCV? In this review, we discuss findings that suggest potential mechanisms for explaining this conundrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olusegun O Onabajo
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Brian Muchmore
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ludmila Prokunina-Olsson
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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O'Brien TR, Jackson SS. What Have We Learned from Studies of IFN-λ Variants and Hepatitis C Virus Infection? J Interferon Cytokine Res 2019; 39:618-626. [PMID: 31161939 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2019.0048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In 2009, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) strongly linked genetic variants in the interferon lambda (IFN-λ) chromosomal region to HCV clearance. In 2013, discovery of the IFNL4 gene provided a functional explanation for those GWAS findings. The IFNL4-ΔG/TT (rs368234815) variant controls generation of the IFN-λ4 protein. Paradoxically, the IFNL4-TT allele, which abrogates IFN-λ4, associates with higher rates of spontaneous HCV clearance and better response to treatments for HCV infection. The finding that a "knock-out" allele for IFN-λ4 enhances HCV clearance challenges the paradigm of IFNs as antiviral cytokines. Genetic variants in the IFN-λ region have also been associated with hepatic inflammation and fibrosis from various etiologies, however, alleles that are linked with improved HCV clearance associates with worse inflammation and fibrosis. These studies demonstrate that GWAS of infectious diseases may yield important and unexpected biological insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas R O'Brien
- Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sarah S Jackson
- Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
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25
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Chinnaswamy S, Kowalski ML. The Genetic Association of IFN-λs with Human Inflammatory Disorders Remains a Conundrum. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2019; 39:594-598. [PMID: 31161954 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2019.0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Type III Interferons (IFNs) or lambda IFNs (IFN-λs or IFNLs) although are primarily antiviral cytokines, may have roles to play in shaping immune responses, including those during inflammation. Genetic variants within the IFNL locus have been shown to be associated with various inflammatory conditions in humans ranging from metabolic to autoimmune and allergic diseases. The mechanism behind these genetic associations is not clear. Appropriate data analysis methods and functional evidence should be complimentarily used to identify the causal variants and mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marek L Kowalski
- Chair of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Lodz, Poland.,Department of Immunology and Allergy, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
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Abstract
Humans are polymorphic in their ability to produce type-III interferons. Most individuals of African ancestry are genetically capable of generating all 4 type-III interferons (IFN-λ1, 2, 3, and 4), whereas the majority of individuals of European and Asian ancestry lack IFN-λ4 and thus can generate only IFN-λ1, 2, and 3. All 4 type-III IFNs are encoded by genes located within a ∼55 kb genomic region on human chromosome 19. Although IFN-λ4 appears to be important in animals, genetic alterations acquired in the Hominidae lineage, and particularly in humans, resulted in the elimination of IFN-λ4 or restriction of its activity, suggesting that IFN-λ4 function might be detrimental to human health. Genetic variants within the IFNL region, including those controlling production and activity of IFN-λ4, have been strongly associated with clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. There is growing evidence for association of the same genetic variants with a multitude of other disease conditions. This article reviews the genetic landscape of the human IFNL genetic locus, with an emphasis on the genetic control of IFN-λ4 production and activity, and its association with viral clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila Prokunina-Olsson
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Laboratory of Translational Genomics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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27
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O'Brien TR, Young HA, Donnelly RP, Prokunina-Olsson L. Meeting Overview: Interferon Lambda-Disease Impact and Therapeutic Potential. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2019; 39:586-591. [PMID: 30998425 DOI: 10.1089/jir.2019.0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A meeting entitled, "Interferon Lambda: Disease Impact and Translational Potential," was held on the campus of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, on October 25-26, 2018. To our knowledge, this was the first meeting that focused exclusively on interferon lambda (IFN-λ). The meeting's purpose was to enhance interdisciplinary communication and promote new collaborations. The gathering brought together an international group of scientists from a wide range of disciplines. Sessions included: IFN-λ Biology, Therapy and Genetic Variation; IFN-λ and Hepatitis C Virus Infection; IFN-λ in Other Infections; and IFN-λ-Hepatic Fibrosis and Cancer. The next meeting on IFN-λ is planned for 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas R O'Brien
- Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Howard A Young
- Cancer and Inflammation Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Raymond P Donnelly
- Division of Biotechnology Research and Review II, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Ludmila Prokunina-Olsson
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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