Sodium butyrate blocks interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-induced biosynthesis of MHC class III gene products (complement C4 and factor B) in human fetal intestinal epithelial cells

Small-molecule screen reveals pathways that regulate C4 secretion in stem cell-derived astrocytes

In the brain, the complement system plays a crucial role in the immune response and in synaptic elimination during normal development and disease. Here, we sought to identify pathways that modulate the production of complement component 4 (C4), recently associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia. To design a disease-relevant assay, we first developed a rapid and robust 3D protocol capable of producing large numbers of astrocytes from pluripotent cells. Transcriptional profiling of these astrocytes confirmed the homogeneity of this population of dorsal fetal-like astrocytes. Using a novel ELISA-based small-molecule screen, we identified epigenetic regulators, as well as inhibitors of intracellular signaling pathways, able to modulate C4 secretion from astrocytes. We then built a connectivity map to predict and validate additional key regulatory pathways, including one involving c-Jun-kinase. This work provides a foundation for developing therapies for CNS diseases involving the complement cascade.

Autophagy-related IFNG is a prognostic and immunochemotherapeutic biomarker of COAD patients

Background

Numerous studies have shown autophagy affects cellular immune responses. This study aims to explore prognosis and immunotherapeutic biomarkers related to autophagy in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD).

Methods

Based on R software, we performed the ssGSEA, differential expression analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, correlation analysis, and enrichment analysis. For wet experiment, we did qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and CCK-8 experiments.

Results

Using autophagy-related genes (ARGs) and the ssGSEA, COAD patients were divided into low and high autophagy groups. For immune score, stromal score, tumor purity, tumor infiltrating immune cells, co-signaling molecules, tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, mismatch repair, immune-related pathways, immune signatures, somatic mutations and subtype analysis, high autophagy group might benefit more from immunotherapy. Among 232 ARGs, IFNG was generally significantly correlated with tumor immunotherapy biomarkers (PD-L1, CD8A and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL)). The disease-free survival of high IFNG group was significantly longer than that of low group. On above-mentioned immune-related research, the high IFNG group reached the same conclusion. The qRT-PCR and IHC analysis confirmed that IFNG was significantly higher expressed in dMMR samples compared to pMMR samples. For chemotherapy, the autophagy and IFNG were significantly negatively related to the chemosensitivity to cisplatin; IFNG inhibitor glucosamine increased cisplatin chemoresistance while IFNG increased cisplatin chemosensitivity; IFNG could reverse glucosamine induced chemoresistance. The functional enrichment analysis of IFNG, PD-L1, CD8A and 20 similar proteins were related to the activation of the immune system. The GSEA and ceRNA network partly described interaction mechanisms of IFNG with PD-L1 and CD8A.

Conclusion

Autophagy score and IFNG expression were novel immunotherapy predictive biomarkers, which might play predictive effects through the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. IFNG might be a potential targeted therapy for cisplatin resistant colon cancer. Besides, IFNG was also a prognostic indicator.

Analysis of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Gamma Block of the Major Histocompatibility Complex in Association with Clinical Outcomes of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: A Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research Study

HLA haplotype mismatches have been associated with an elevated risk of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) in patients undergoing HLA-matched unrelated donor (URD) hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The gamma block (GB) is located in the central MHC region between beta and delta blocks (encoding HLA-B and -C and HLA-DQ and -DR antigens, respectively) and contains numerous inflammatory and immune regulatory genes, including Bf, C2, and C4 genes. A single-center study showed that mismatches in SNPs c.2918+98G, c.3316C, and c.4385C in the GB block (C4 SNPs) were associated with higher risk of grade III-IV aGVHD. We investigated the association of GB SNP (GBS) mismatches with outcomes after 10/10 and 9/10 URD HCT (n = 714). The primary outcome was acute GVHD. Overall survival, disease-free survival, transplantation-related mortality, relapse, chronic GVHD, and engraftment were also analyzed. DNA samples were GBS genotyped by identifying 338 SNPs across 20 kb using the Illumina NGS platform. The overall 100-day incidence of aGVHD grade II-IV and II-IV were 41% and 17%, respectively. The overall incidence of matching at all GBSs tested and at the C4 SNPs were 23% and 81%, respectively. Neither being matched across all GB SNPs tested (versus mismatched) nor having a higher number of GBS mismatches was associated with transplantation outcomes. There was no association between C4 SNP mismatches and outcomes except for an unexpected significant association between having 2 C4 SNP mismatches and a higher hazard ratio (HR) for relapse (association seen in 15 patients only; HR, 3.38, 95% confidence interval, 1.75 to 6.53; P = .0003). These data do not support the hypothesis that mismatching at GB is associated with outcomes after HCT.

Medium- and long-chain fatty acids differentially modulate interleukin-8 secretion in human fetal intestinal epithelial cells

The primary therapeutic effects of enteral nutrition in patients with Crohn's disease have been reported previously. Although the quantity and type of fat in enteral nutrition are considered to be important, it is unclear how fat modulates mucosal inflammatory responses in the intestine. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of medium-chain and long-chain fatty acids (MCFA and LCFA) on interleukin (IL)-8 secretion in a fetal intestinal epithelial cell line, intestine-407 cells. IL-8 expression was evaluated at the protein and mRNA levels. The activation of nuclear factor-kappaB was assessed with an electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay. The addition of oleic acid (LCFA) micelles, but not octanoic acid (MCFA) micelles, weakly but significantly enhanced basal IL-8 secretion in the intestine-407 cells. The addition of MCFA (5 mmol/L) induced a 40% increase in IL-1beta-induced IL-8 secretion and a 35% increase in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-induced IL-8 secretion, respectively. The addition of LCFA (5 mmol/L) induced a 140% increase in IL-1beta-induced IL-8 secretion and a 110% increase in TNF-alpha-induced IL-8 secretion, respectively. These responses were also observed at the mRNA levels. The electrophoretic gel mobility shift assay indicated that both MCFA and LCFA enhanced IL-1beta- and TNF-alpha-induced nuclear factor-kappaB activation. We demonstrated the proinflammatory activities of MCFA and especially LCFA. It is likely that medium-chain triglycerides may be more suitable than long-chain triglycerides as an energy source in enteral diets in the treatment of patients with Crohn's disease.