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Turgeman-Grott I, Shalev Y, Shemesh N, Levy R, Eini I, Pasmanik-Chor M, Gophna U. A Haloarchaeal Transcriptional Regulator That Represses the Expression of CRISPR-Associated Genes. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1772. [PMID: 39338447 PMCID: PMC11434293 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12091772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2024] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas (CRISPR-associated proteins) systems provide acquired heritable protection to bacteria and archaea against selfish DNA elements, such as viruses. These systems must be tightly regulated because they can capture DNA fragments from foreign selfish elements, and also occasionally from self-chromosomes, resulting in autoimmunity. Most known species from the halophilic archaeal genus Haloferax contain type I-B CRISPR-Cas systems, and the strongest hotspot for self-spacer acquisition by H. mediterranei was a locus that contained a putative transposable element, as well as the gene HFX_2341, which was a very frequent target for self-targeting spacers. To test whether this gene is CRISPR-associated, we investigated it using bioinformatics, deletion, over-expression, and comparative transcriptomics. We show that HFX_2341 is a global transcriptional regulator that can repress diverse genes, since its deletion results in significantly higher expression of multiple genes, especially those involved in nutrient transport. When over-expressed, HFX_2341 strongly repressed the transcript production of all cas genes tested, both those involved in spacer acquisition (cas1, 2 and 4) and those required for destroying selfish genetic elements (cas3 and 5-8). Considering that HFX_2341 is highly conserved in haloarchaea, with homologs that are present in species that do not encode the CRISPR-Cas system, we conclude that it is a global regulator that is also involved in cas gene regulation, either directly or indirectly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Israela Turgeman-Grott
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Yarden Shalev
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Netta Shemesh
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Rachel Levy
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Inbar Eini
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Metsada Pasmanik-Chor
- Bioinformatics Unit, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Uri Gophna
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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Chen X, Yin X, Shi X, Yan W, Yang Y, Liu L, Zhang T. Melon: metagenomic long-read-based taxonomic identification and quantification using marker genes. Genome Biol 2024; 25:226. [PMID: 39160564 PMCID: PMC11331721 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03363-y] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Long-read sequencing holds great potential for characterizing complex microbial communities, yet taxonomic profiling tools designed specifically for long reads remain lacking. We introduce Melon, a novel marker-based taxonomic profiler that capitalizes on the unique attributes of long reads. Melon employs a two-stage classification scheme to reduce computational time and is equipped with an expectation-maximization-based post-correction module to handle ambiguous reads. Melon achieves superior performance compared to existing tools in both mock and simulated samples. Using wastewater metagenomic samples, we demonstrate the applicability of Melon by showing it provides reliable estimates of overall genome copies, and species-level taxonomic profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaole Yin
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xianghui Shi
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Weifu Yan
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu Yang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
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3
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Kuhlman BM, Diaz JH, Simon T, Reeves KD, Walker SJ, Atala A, Almeida-Porada G, Porada CD. Simulated microgravity impairs human NK cell cytotoxic activity against space radiation-relevant leukemic cells. NPJ Microgravity 2024; 10:85. [PMID: 39143086 PMCID: PMC11324864 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-024-00424-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are an important first-line of defense against malignant cells. Because of the potential for increased cancer risk from astronaut exposure to space radiation, we determined whether microgravity present during spaceflight affects the body's defenses against leukemogenesis. Human NK cells were cultured for 48 h under normal gravity and simulated microgravity (sμG), and cytotoxicity against K-562 (CML) and MOLT-4 (T-ALL) cells was measured using standard methodology or under continuous sμG. This brief exposure to sμG markedly reduced NK cytotoxicity against both leukemias, and these deleterious effects were more pronounced in continuous sμG. RNA-seq performed on NK cells from two additional healthy donors provided insight into the mechanism(s) by which sμG reduced cytotoxicity. Given our prior report of space radiation-induced human T-ALL in vivo, the reduced cytotoxicity against MOLT-4 is striking and raises the possibility that μG may increase astronaut risk of leukemogenesis during prolonged missions beyond LEO.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jonathan H Diaz
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Trang Simon
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Kimberly D Reeves
- Wake Forest Center for Precision Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Stephen J Walker
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Anthony Atala
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
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4
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Grilo LF, Zimmerman KD, Puppala S, Chan J, Huber HF, Li G, Jadhav AYL, Wang B, Li C, Clarke GD, Register TC, Oliveira PJ, Nathanielsz PW, Olivier M, Pereira SP, Cox LA. Cardiac Molecular Analysis Reveals Aging-Associated Metabolic Alterations Promoting Glycosaminoglycans Accumulation via Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2309211. [PMID: 39119859 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202309211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Age is a prominent risk factor for cardiometabolic disease, often leading to heart structural and functional changes. However, precise molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac remodeling and dysfunction exclusively resulting from physiological aging remain elusive. Previous research demonstrated age-related functional alterations in baboons, analogous to humans. The goal of this study is to identify early cardiac molecular alterations preceding functional adaptations, shedding light on the regulation of age-associated changes. Unbiased transcriptomics of left ventricle samples are performed from female baboons aged 7.5-22.1 years (human equivalent ≈30-88 years). Weighted-gene correlation network and pathway enrichment analyses are performed, with histological validation. Modules of transcripts negatively correlated with age implicated declined metabolism-oxidative phosphorylation, tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolysis, and fatty-acid β-oxidation. Transcripts positively correlated with age suggested a metabolic shift toward glucose-dependent anabolic pathways, including hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP). This shift is associated with increased glycosaminoglycan synthesis, modification, precursor synthesis via HBP, and extracellular matrix accumulation, verified histologically. Upregulated extracellular matrix-induced signaling coincided with glycosaminoglycan accumulation, followed by cardiac hypertrophy-related pathways. Overall, these findings revealed a transcriptional shift in metabolism favoring glycosaminoglycan accumulation through HBP before cardiac hypertrophy. Unveiling this metabolic shift provides potential targets for age-related cardiac diseases, offering novel insights into early age-related mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís F Grilo
- CNC-UC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3060, Portugal
- CIBB, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3060, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, PDBEB - Doctoral Programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3060, Portugal
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Kip D Zimmerman
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
- Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Sobha Puppala
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
- Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Jeannie Chan
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
- Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Hillary F Huber
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, 78245, USA
| | - Ge Li
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Avinash Y L Jadhav
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Benlian Wang
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Cun Li
- Texas Pregnancy & Life-Course Health Research Center, Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Geoffrey D Clarke
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Thomas C Register
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
- Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Paulo J Oliveira
- CNC-UC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3060, Portugal
- CIBB, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3060, Portugal
| | - Peter W Nathanielsz
- Texas Pregnancy & Life-Course Health Research Center, Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Michael Olivier
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
- Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Susana P Pereira
- CNC-UC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3060, Portugal
- CIBB, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3060, Portugal
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Exercise (LaMetEx), Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL), Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, Porto, 4050, Portugal
| | - Laura A Cox
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
- Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, 78245, USA
- Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
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Dash BP, Freischmidt A, Weishaupt JH, Hermann A. An integrative miRNA-mRNA expression analysis identifies miRNA signatures associated with SOD1 and TARDBP patient-derived motor neurons. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:1300-1314. [PMID: 38676626 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddae072] [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: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a subset of small non-coding single-stranded RNA molecules involved in the regulation of post-transcriptional gene expression of a variety of transcript targets. Therefore altered miRNA expression may result in the dysregulation of key genes and biological pathways that has been reported with the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is marked by a progressive degeneration of motor neurons (MNs) present in the spinal cord, brain stem and motor cortex. Although the pathomechanism underlying molecular interactions of ALS remains poorly understood, alterations in RNA metabolism, including dysregulation of miRNA expression in familial as well as sporadic forms are still scarcely studied. In this study, we performed combined transcriptomic data and miRNA profiling in MN samples of the same samples of iPSC-derived MNs from SOD1- and TARDBP (TDP-43 protein)-mutant-ALS patients and healthy controls. We report a global upregulation of mature miRNAs, and suggest that differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs have a significant impact on mRNA-level in SOD1-, but not in TARDBP-linked ALS. Furthermore, in SOD1-ALS we identified dysregulated miRNAs such as miR-124-3p, miR-19b-3p and miR-218 and their potential targets previously implicated in important functional process and pathogenic pathways underlying ALS. These miRNAs may play key roles in the neuronal development and cell survival related functions in SOD1-ALS. Altogether, we provide evidence of miRNA regulated genes expression mainly in SOD1 rather than TDP43-ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banaja P Dash
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, Rostock 18147, Germany
| | - Axel Freischmidt
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Jochen H Weishaupt
- Division of Neurodegeneration, Department of Neurology, Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, Mannheim 68167, Germany
| | - Andreas Hermann
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, Rostock 18147, Germany
- Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock, University Medical Center Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, Rostock 18147, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Rostock/Greifswald, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, Rostock 18147, Germany
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6
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Rezapour M, Walker SJ, Ornelles DA, Niazi MKK, McNutt PM, Atala A, Gurcan MN. A comparative analysis of RNA-Seq and NanoString technologies in deciphering viral infection response in upper airway lung organoids. Front Genet 2024; 15:1327984. [PMID: 38957806 PMCID: PMC11217172 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1327984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we delved into the comparative analysis of gene expression data across RNA-Seq and NanoString platforms. While RNA-Seq covered 19,671 genes and NanoString targeted 773 genes associated with immune responses to viruses, our primary focus was on the 754 genes found in both platforms. Our experiment involved 16 different infection conditions, with samples derived from 3D airway organ-tissue equivalents subjected to three virus types, influenza A virus (IAV), human metapneumovirus (MPV), and parainfluenza virus 3 (PIV3). Post-infection measurements, after UV (inactive virus) and Non-UV (active virus) treatments, were recorded at 24-h and 72-h intervals. Including untreated and Mock-infected OTEs as control groups enabled differentiating changes induced by the virus from those arising due to procedural elements. Through a series of methodological approaches (including Spearman correlation, Distance correlation, Bland-Altman analysis, Generalized Linear Models Huber regression, the Magnitude-Altitude Score (MAS) algorithm and Gene Ontology analysis) the study meticulously contrasted RNA-Seq and NanoString datasets. The Magnitude-Altitude Score algorithm, which integrates both the amplitude of gene expression changes (magnitude) and their statistical relevance (altitude), offers a comprehensive tool for prioritizing genes based on their differential expression profiles in specific viral infection conditions. We observed a strong congruence between the platforms, especially in identifying key antiviral defense genes. Both platforms consistently highlighted genes including ISG15, MX1, RSAD2, and members of the OAS family (OAS1, OAS2, OAS3). The IFIT proteins (IFIT1, IFIT2, IFIT3) were emphasized for their crucial role in counteracting viral replication by both platforms. Additionally, CXCL10 and CXCL11 were pinpointed, shedding light on the organ tissue equivalent's innate immune response to viral infections. While both platforms provided invaluable insights into the genetic landscape of organoids under viral infection, the NanoString platform often presented a more detailed picture in situations where RNA-Seq signals were more subtle. The combined data from both platforms emphasize their joint value in advancing our understanding of viral impacts on lung organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Rezapour
- Center for Artificial Intelligence Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Stephen J. Walker
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - David A. Ornelles
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Muhammad Khalid Khan Niazi
- Center for Artificial Intelligence Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Patrick M. McNutt
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Anthony Atala
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Metin Nafi Gurcan
- Center for Artificial Intelligence Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
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Filipowska J, Cisneros Z, Leon-Rivera N, Wang P, Kang R, Lu G, Yuan YC, Bhattacharya S, Dhawan S, Garcia-Ocaña A, Kondegowda NG, Vasavada RC. LGR4 is essential for maintaining β-cell homeostasis through suppression of RANK. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.10.593645. [PMID: 38798561 PMCID: PMC11118322 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.10.593645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic β-cell stress contributes to diabetes progression. This study demonstrates that Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled-receptor-4 (LGR4) is critical for maintaining β-cell health and is modulated by stressors. In vitro , Lgr4 knockdown decreases proliferation and survival in rodent β-cells, while overexpression protects against cytokine-induced cell death in rodent and human β-cells. Mechanistically, LGR4 suppresses Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NFκB) (RANK) and its subsequent activation of NFκB to protect β-cells. β-cell-specific Lgr4 -conditional knockout (cko) mice exhibit normal glucose homeostasis but increased β-cell death in both sexes and decreased proliferation only in females. Male Lgr4 cko mice under stress display reduced β-cell proliferation and a further increase in β-cell death. Upon aging, both male and female Lgr4 cko mice display impaired β-cell homeostasis, however, only female mice are glucose intolerant with decreased plasma insulin. We show that LGR4 is required for maintaining β-cell health under basal and stress-induced conditions, through suppression of RANK. Teaser LGR4 receptor is critical for maintaining β-cell health under basal and stressed conditions, through suppression of RANK.
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Porada C, Kuhlman B, Diaz J, Simon T, Reaves K, Walker S, Atala A, Almeida-Porada G. Simulated Microgravity Impairs Human NK Cell Cytotoxic Activity Against Space Radiation-Relevant Leukemic Cells. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3972868. [PMID: 38746365 PMCID: PMC11092860 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3972868/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are important effectors of the innate immune system. Unlike T cells, NK cells do not require antigen-priming, making them an important first-line of defense against malignant cells. Because of the potential for increased cancer risk as a result of astronaut exposure to space radiation, we performed studies to determine whether conditions of microgravity present during spaceflight affects the body's natural defenses against leukemogenesis. Human NK cells were cultured for 48 hours under normal gravity and simulated microgravity (sµG), and cytotoxicity against K-562 (CML) and MOLT-4 (T-ALL) cell lines was measured using standard methodology or under continuous conditions of sµG. Even this brief exposure to sµG markedly reduced NK cytotoxicity against both leukemic cells using standard assay procedures, and these deleterious effects were even more pronounced in continuous sµG. RNA-seq performed on NK cells from two healthy donors provided insight into the mechanism(s) by which sµG reduced cytotoxicity. Given our prior report that human HSC exposed to simulated space radiation gave rise to T-ALL in vivo , the reduced cytotoxicity against MOLT-4 is striking and raises the possibility that µG may add to astronaut risk of leukemogenesis during prolonged missions beyond LEO.
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Zelikson N, Ben S, Caspi M, Tarabe R, Shaleve Y, Pri-Paz Basson Y, Tayer-Shifman O, Goldberg E, Kivity S, Rosin-Arbesfeld R. Wnt signaling regulates chemokine production and cell migration of circulating human monocytes. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:229. [PMID: 38622714 PMCID: PMC11020454 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01608-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The β-catenin dependent canonical Wnt signaling pathway plays a crucial role in maintaining normal homeostasis. However, when dysregulated, Wnt signaling is closely associated with various pathological conditions, including inflammation and different types of cancer.Here, we show a new connection between the leukocyte inflammatory response and the Wnt signaling pathway. Specifically, we demonstrate that circulating human primary monocytes express distinct Wnt signaling components and are susceptible to stimulation by the classical Wnt ligand-Wnt-3a. Although this stimulation increased the levels of β-catenin protein, the expression of the classical Wnt-target genes was not affected. Intriguingly, treating circulating human monocytes with Wnt-3a induces the secretion of cytokines and chemokines, enhancing monocyte migration. Mechanistically, the enhanced monocyte migration in response to Wnt stimuli is mediated through CCL2, a strong monocyte-chemoattractant.To further explore the physiological relevance of these findings, we conducted ex-vivo experiments using blood samples of patients with rheumatic joint diseases (RJD) - conditions where monocytes are known to be dysfunctional. Wnt-3a generated a unique cytokine expression profile, which was significantly distinct from that observed in monocytes obtained from healthy donors.Thus, our results provide the first evidence that Wnt-3a may serve as a potent stimulator of monocyte-driven immune processes. These findings contribute to our understanding of inflammatory diseases and, more importantly, shed light on the role of a core signaling pathway in the circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Zelikson
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shaina Ben
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Michal Caspi
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Raneen Tarabe
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yonatan Shaleve
- Department of Medicine F, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel
- Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yael Pri-Paz Basson
- Rheumatology Unit, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
- Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Oshrat Tayer-Shifman
- Rheumatology Unit, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
- Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Elad Goldberg
- Department of Medicine F, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petah Tikva, Israel
- Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shaye Kivity
- Rheumatology Unit, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
- Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Rina Rosin-Arbesfeld
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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10
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Rezapour M, Walker SJ, Ornelles DA, McNutt PM, Atala A, Gurcan MN. Analysis of gene expression dynamics and differential expression in viral infections using generalized linear models and quasi-likelihood methods. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1342328. [PMID: 38655085 PMCID: PMC11037428 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1342328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Our study undertakes a detailed exploration of gene expression dynamics within human lung organ tissue equivalents (OTEs) in response to Influenza A virus (IAV), Human metapneumovirus (MPV), and Parainfluenza virus type 3 (PIV3) infections. Through the analysis of RNA-Seq data from 19,671 genes, we aim to identify differentially expressed genes under various infection conditions, elucidating the complexities of virus-host interactions. Methods We employ Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) with Quasi-Likelihood (QL) F-tests (GLMQL) and introduce the novel Magnitude-Altitude Score (MAS) and Relaxed Magnitude-Altitude Score (RMAS) algorithms to navigate the intricate landscape of RNA-Seq data. This approach facilitates the precise identification of potential biomarkers, highlighting the host's reliance on innate immune mechanisms. Our comprehensive methodological framework includes RNA extraction, library preparation, sequencing, and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis to interpret the biological significance of our findings. Results The differential expression analysis unveils significant changes in gene expression triggered by IAV, MPV, and PIV3 infections. The MAS and RMAS algorithms enable focused identification of biomarkers, revealing a consistent activation of interferon-stimulated genes (e.g., IFIT1, IFIT2, IFIT3, OAS1) across all viruses. Our GO analysis provides deep insights into the host's defense mechanisms and viral strategies exploiting host cellular functions. Notably, changes in cellular structures, such as cilium assembly and mitochondrial ribosome assembly, indicate a strategic shift in cellular priorities. The precision of our methodology is validated by a 92% mean accuracy in classifying respiratory virus infections using multinomial logistic regression, demonstrating the superior efficacy of our approach over traditional methods. Discussion This study highlights the intricate interplay between viral infections and host gene expression, underscoring the need for targeted therapeutic interventions. The stability and reliability of the MAS/RMAS ranking method, even under stringent statistical corrections, and the critical importance of adequate sample size for biomarker reliability are significant findings. Our comprehensive analysis not only advances our understanding of the host's response to viral infections but also sets a new benchmark for the identification of biomarkers, paving the way for the development of effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Rezapour
- Center for Artificial Intelligence Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Stephen J. Walker
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - David A. Ornelles
- Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Patrick M. McNutt
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Anthony Atala
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Metin Nafi Gurcan
- Center for Artificial Intelligence Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
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11
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Ushiki A, Sheng RR, Zhang Y, Zhao J, Nobuhara M, Murray E, Ruan X, Rios JJ, Wise CA, Ahituv N. Deletion of Pax1 scoliosis-associated regulatory elements leads to a female-biased tail abnormality. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113907. [PMID: 38461417 PMCID: PMC11005513 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), a sideways curvature of the spine, is sexually dimorphic, with increased incidence in females. A genome-wide association study identified a female-specific AIS susceptibility locus near the PAX1 gene. Here, we use mouse enhancer assays, three mouse enhancer knockouts, and subsequent phenotypic analyses to characterize this region. Using mouse enhancer assays, we characterize a sequence, PEC7, which overlaps the AIS-associated variant, and find it to be active in the tail tip and intervertebral disc. Removal of PEC7 or Xe1, a known sclerotome enhancer nearby, or deletion of both sequences lead to a kinky tail phenotype only in the Xe1 and combined (Xe1+PEC7) knockouts, with only the latter showing a female sex dimorphic phenotype. Extensive phenotypic characterization of these mouse lines implicates several differentially expressed genes and estrogen signaling in the sex dimorphic bias. In summary, our work functionally characterizes an AIS-associated locus and dissects the mechanism for its sexual dimorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aki Ushiki
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Rory R Sheng
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yichi Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Mai Nobuhara
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Elizabeth Murray
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Xin Ruan
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jonathan J Rios
- Center for Translational Research, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Carol A Wise
- Center for Translational Research, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Nadav Ahituv
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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12
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Saleh MA, Amer-Sarsour F, Berant A, Pasmanik-Chor M, Kobo H, Sharabi Y, Vatine GD, Ashkenazi A. Chronic and acute exposure to rotenone reveals distinct Parkinson's disease-related phenotypes in human iPSC-derived peripheral neurons. Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 213:164-173. [PMID: 38246514 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.01.016] [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: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Peripheral autonomic nervous system (P-ANS) dysfunction is a critical non-motor phenotype of Parkinson's disease (PD). The majority of PD cases are sporadic and lack identified PD-associated genes involved. Epidemiological and animal model studies suggest an association with pesticides and other environmental toxins. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying toxin induced P-ANS dysfunctions remain unclear. Here, we mapped the global transcriptome changes in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived P-ANS sympathetic neurons during inhibition of the mitochondrial respiratory chain by the PD-related pesticide, rotenone. We revealed distinct transcriptome profiles between acute and chronic exposure to rotenone. In the acute stage, there was a down regulation of specific cation channel genes, known to mediate electrophysiological activity, while in the chronic stage, the human P-ANS neurons exhibited dysregulation of anti-apoptotic and Golgi apparatus-related pathways. Moreover, we identified the sodium voltage-gated channel subunit SCN3A/Nav1.3 as a potential biomarker in human P-ANS neurons associated with PD. Our analysis of the rotenone-altered coding and non-coding transcriptome of human P-ANS neurons may thus provide insight into the pathological signaling events in the sympathetic neurons during PD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmood Ali Saleh
- The Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer Sheva, Israel; The Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell (RMSC) Research Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Fatima Amer-Sarsour
- The Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Asaf Berant
- The Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer Sheva, Israel; The Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell (RMSC) Research Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Metsada Pasmanik-Chor
- Bioinformatics Unit, George Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Hila Kobo
- Genomics Research Unit, George Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Yehonatan Sharabi
- Hypertension Unit, Department of Medicine, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer and Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Gad D Vatine
- The Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer Sheva, Israel; The Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell (RMSC) Research Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501, Beer Sheva, Israel.
| | - Avraham Ashkenazi
- The Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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13
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Enninga EAL, Quach HQ, Jang JS, de Araujo Correia MCM, Fedyshyn Y, Fedyshyn B, Lemens M, Littlefield D, Behl S, Sintim-Aboagye E, Mejia Plazas MC, Cardenas MC, Chakraborty S, Yamaoka S, Ebihara H, Pandey A, Li H, Badley AD, Johnson EL, Sun J, Norgan AP, Theiler RN, Chakraborty R. Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy disrupts gene expression in Hofbauer cells with limited impact on cytotrophoblasts. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1011990. [PMID: 38324589 PMCID: PMC10878512 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hofbauer cells (HBCs) and cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) are major cell populations in placenta. The indirect impact of maternal SARS-CoV-2 disease on these cells that are not directly infected has not been extensively studied. Herein, we profiled gene expression in HBCs and CTBs isolated from placentae of recovered pregnant subjects infected with SARS-CoV-2 during all trimesters of pregnancy, placentae from subjects with active infection, SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated subjects, and those who were unexposed to the virus. METHODS Placentae were collected within 4 h post-delivery and membrane-free tissues were enzymatically digested for the isolation of HBCs and CTBs. RNA extracted from HBCs and CTBs were sequenced using 150bp paired-end reads. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by DESeq2 package in R and enriched in GO Biological Processes, KEGG Pathway, Reactome Gene Sets, Hallmark Gene Sets, and Canonical Pathways. Protein-protein interactions among the DEGs were modelled using STRING and BioGrid. RESULTS Pregnant subjects (n = 30) were recruited and categorized into six groups: infected with SARS-CoV-2 in i) the first (1T, n = 4), ii) second (2T, n = 5), iii) third (3T, n = 5) trimester, iv) tested positive at delivery (Delivery, n = 5), v) never infected (Control, n = 6), and vi) fully mRNA-vaccinated by delivery (Vaccinated, n = 5). Compared to the Control group, gene expression analysis showed that HBCs from infected subjects had significantly altered gene expression profiles, with the 2T group having the highest number of DEGs (1,696), followed by 3T and 1T groups (1,656 and 958 DEGs, respectively). These DEGs were enriched for pathways involved in immune regulation for host defense, including production of cytokines, chemokines, antimicrobial proteins, ribosomal assembly, neutrophil degranulation inflammation, morphogenesis, and cell migration/adhesion. Protein-protein interaction analysis mapped these DEGs with oxidative phosphorylation, translation, extracellular matrix organization, and type I interferon signaling. Only 95, 23, and 8 DEGs were identified in CTBs of 1T, 2T, and 3T groups, respectively. Similarly, 11 and 3 DEGs were identified in CTBs and HBCs of vaccinated subjects, respectively. Reassuringly, mRNA vaccination did not induce an inflammatory response in placental cells. CONCLUSIONS Our studies demonstrate a significant impact of indirect SARS-CoV-2 infection on gene expression of inner mesenchymal HBCs, with limited effect on lining CTB cells isolated from pregnant subjects infected and recovered from SARS-CoV-2. The pathways associated with these DEGs identify potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Ann L. Enninga
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Huy Quang Quach
- Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Jin Sung Jang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | | | - Yaroslav Fedyshyn
- Children Research Center, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Bohdana Fedyshyn
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Maureen Lemens
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Dawn Littlefield
- Children Research Center, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Supriya Behl
- Children Research Center, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Elise Sintim-Aboagye
- Children Research Center, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Maria C. Mejia Plazas
- Children Research Center, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Maria C. Cardenas
- Children Research Center, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Shree Chakraborty
- Children Research Center, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Satoko Yamaoka
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Hideki Ebihara
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Akhilesh Pandey
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Division of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
- Center for Molecular Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Hu Li
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Andrew D. Badley
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Erica L. Johnson
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jie Sun
- Thoracic Diseases Research Unit, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
- Carter Immunology Center University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Andrew P. Norgan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Regan N. Theiler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Rana Chakraborty
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
- Children Research Center, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
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14
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Lai SWT, Bhattacharya S, Lopez Gonzalez EDJ, Shuck SC. Methylglyoxal-Derived Nucleoside Adducts Drive Vascular Dysfunction in a RAGE-Dependent Manner. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:85. [PMID: 38247509 PMCID: PMC10812505 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13010085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a leading cause of death in patients with diabetes. An early precursor to DKD is endothelial cell dysfunction (ECD), which often precedes and exacerbates vascular disease progression. We previously discovered that covalent adducts formed on DNA, RNA, and proteins by the reactive metabolic by-product methylglyoxal (MG) predict DKD risk in patients with type 1 diabetes up to 16 years pre-diagnosis. However, the mechanisms by which MG adducts contribute to vascular disease onset and progression remain unclear. Here, we report that the most predominant MG-induced nucleoside adducts, N2-(1-carboxyethyl)-deoxyguanosine (CEdG) and N2-(1-carboxyethyl)-guanosine (CEG), drive endothelial dysfunction. Following CEdG or CEG exposure, primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) undergo endothelial dysfunction, resulting in enhanced monocyte adhesion, increased reactive oxygen species production, endothelial permeability, impaired endothelial homeostasis, and exhibit a dysfunctional transcriptomic signature. These effects were discovered to be mediated through the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), as an inhibitor for intracellular RAGE signaling diminished these dysfunctional phenotypes. Therefore, we found that not only are MG adducts biomarkers for DKD, but that they may also have a role as potential drivers of vascular disease onset and progression and a new therapeutic modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seigmund Wai Tsuen Lai
- Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (S.W.T.L.); (E.D.J.L.G.)
| | - Supriyo Bhattacharya
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA;
| | - Edwin De Jesus Lopez Gonzalez
- Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (S.W.T.L.); (E.D.J.L.G.)
| | - Sarah C. Shuck
- Department of Diabetes and Cancer Metabolism, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA 91010, USA; (S.W.T.L.); (E.D.J.L.G.)
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15
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Arora G, Tang X, Cui Y, Yang J, Chuang YM, Joshi J, Sajid A, Dong Y, Cresswell P, Dimopoulos G, Fikrig E. mosGILT controls innate immunity and germ cell development in Anopheles gambiae. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:42. [PMID: 38191283 PMCID: PMC10775533 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09887-0] [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: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene-edited mosquitoes lacking a gamma-interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase-like protein, namely (mosGILTnull) have lower Plasmodium infection, which is linked to impaired ovarian development and immune activation. The transcriptome of mosGILTnull Anopheles gambiae was therefore compared to wild type (WT) mosquitoes by RNA-sequencing to delineate mosGILT-dependent pathways. Compared to WT mosquitoes, mosGILTnull A. gambiae demonstrated altered expression of genes related to oogenesis, 20-hydroxyecdysone synthesis, as well as immune-related genes. Serendipitously, the zero population growth gene, zpg, an essential regulator of germ cell development was found to be one of the most downregulated genes in mosGILTnull mosquitoes. These results provide a crucial missing link between two previous studies on the role of zpg and mosGILT in ovarian development. This study further demonstrates that mosGILT has the potential to serve as a target for the biological control of mosquito vectors and to influence the Plasmodium life cycle within the vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunjan Arora
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA.
| | - Xiaotian Tang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
| | - Yingjun Cui
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
| | - Jing Yang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
- Current Affiliation: Cuiying Biomedical Research Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730030, China
| | - Yu-Min Chuang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
| | - Jayadev Joshi
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, 44195, USA
| | - Andaleeb Sajid
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
| | - Yuemei Dong
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, USA
| | - Peter Cresswell
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06510, USA
| | - George Dimopoulos
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA.
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16
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Cox LA, Puppala S, Chan J, Zimmerman KD, Hamid Z, Ampong I, Huber HF, Li G, Jadhav AYL, Wang B, Li C, Baxter MG, Shively C, Clarke GD, Register TC, Nathanielsz PW, Olivier M. Integrated multi-omics analysis of brain aging in female nonhuman primates reveals altered signaling pathways relevant to age-related disorders. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 132:109-119. [PMID: 37797463 PMCID: PMC10841409 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been implicated as a key brain region responsible for age-related cognitive decline. Little is known about aging-related molecular changes in PFC that may mediate these effects. To date, no studies have used untargeted discovery methods with integrated analyses to determine PFC molecular changes in healthy female primates. We quantified PFC changes associated with healthy aging in female baboons by integrating multiple omics data types (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) from samples across the adult age span. Our integrated omics approach using unbiased weighted gene co-expression network analysis to integrate data and treat age as a continuous variable, revealed highly interconnected known and novel pathways associated with PFC aging. We found Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) tissue content associated with these signaling pathways, providing 1 potential biomarker to assess PFC changes with age. These highly coordinated pathway changes during aging may represent early steps for aging-related decline in PFC functions, such as learning and memory, and provide potential biomarkers to assess cognitive status in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Cox
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA.
| | - Sobha Puppala
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jeannie Chan
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Kip D Zimmerman
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Zeeshan Hamid
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Isaac Ampong
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Hillary F Huber
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ge Li
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Avinash Y L Jadhav
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Benlian Wang
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Cun Li
- Texas Pregnancy & Life-Course Health Research Center, Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Mark G Baxter
- Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Carol Shively
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Geoffrey D Clarke
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Thomas C Register
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Peter W Nathanielsz
- Texas Pregnancy & Life-Course Health Research Center, Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Michael Olivier
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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17
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Grilo LF, Zimmerman KD, Puppala S, Chan J, Huber HF, Li G, Jadhav AYL, Wang B, Li C, Clarke GD, Register TC, Oliveira PJ, Nathanielsz PW, Olivier M, Pereira SP, Cox LA. Cardiac Molecular Analysis Reveals Aging-Associated Metabolic Alterations Promoting Glycosaminoglycans Accumulation Via Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.17.567640. [PMID: 38014295 PMCID: PMC10680868 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.17.567640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Age is a prominent risk factor for cardiometabolic disease, and often leads to heart structural and functional changes. However, precise molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac remodeling and dysfunction resulting from physiological aging per se remain elusive. Understanding these mechanisms requires biological models with optimal translation to humans. Previous research demonstrated that baboons undergo age-related reduction in ejection fraction and increased heart sphericity, mirroring changes observed in humans. The goal of this study was to identify early cardiac molecular alterations that precede functional adaptations, shedding light on the regulation of age-associated changes. We performed unbiased transcriptomics of left ventricle (LV) samples from female baboons aged 7.5-22.1 years (human equivalent ~30-88 years). Weighted-gene correlation network and pathway enrichment analyses were performed to identify potential age-associated mechanisms in LV, with histological validation. Myocardial modules of transcripts negatively associated with age were primarily enriched for cardiac metabolism, including oxidative phosphorylation, tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolysis, and fatty-acid β-oxidation. Transcripts positively correlated with age suggest upregulation of glucose uptake, pentose phosphate pathway, and hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP), indicating a metabolic shift towards glucose-dependent anabolic pathways. Upregulation of HBP commonly results in increased glycosaminoglycan precursor synthesis. Transcripts involved in glycosaminoglycan synthesis, modification, and intermediate metabolism were also upregulated in older animals, while glycosaminoglycan degradation transcripts were downregulated with age. These alterations would promote glycosaminoglycan accumulation, which was verified histologically. Upregulation of extracellular matrix (ECM)-induced signaling pathways temporally coincided with glycosaminoglycan accumulation. We found a subsequent upregulation of cardiac hypertrophy-related pathways and an increase in cardiomyocyte width. Overall, our findings revealed a transcriptional shift in metabolism from catabolic to anabolic pathways that leads to ECM glycosaminoglycan accumulation through HBP prior to upregulation of transcripts of cardiac hypertrophy-related pathways. This study illuminates cellular mechanisms that precede development of cardiac hypertrophy, providing novel potential targets to remediate age-related cardiac diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís F. Grilo
- CNC-UC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal
- CIBB, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Portugal
- University of Coimbra, Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, PDBEB - Doctoral Programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Kip D. Zimmerman
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Sobha Puppala
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jeannie Chan
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Hillary F. Huber
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ge Li
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Avinash Y. L. Jadhav
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Benlian Wang
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Cun Li
- Texas Pregnancy & Life-Course Health Research Center, Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Geoffrey D. Clarke
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Thomas C. Register
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Paulo J. Oliveira
- CNC-UC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal
- CIBB, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Peter W. Nathanielsz
- Texas Pregnancy & Life-Course Health Research Center, Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Michael Olivier
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Susana P. Pereira
- CNC-UC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal
- CIBB, Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Portugal
- Laboratory of Metabolism and Exercise (LaMetEx), Research Centre in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL), Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Laura A. Cox
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Section on Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Section on Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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18
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Tang X, Lynn GE, Cui Y, Cerny J, Arora G, Tomayko MM, Craft J, Fikrig E. Bulk and single-nucleus RNA sequencing highlight immune pathways induced in individuals during an Ixodes scapularis tick bite. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0028223. [PMID: 37846980 PMCID: PMC10652856 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00282-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are hematophagous arthropods that use a complex mixture of salivary proteins to evade host defenses while taking a blood meal. Little is known about the immunological and physiological consequences of tick feeding on humans. Here, we performed the first bulk and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) of skin and blood of four persons presenting with naturally acquired, attached Ixodes scapularis ticks. Pathways and individual genes associated with innate and adaptive immunity were identified based on bulk RNA sequencing, including interleukin-17 signaling and platelet activation pathways at the site of tick attachment or in peripheral blood. snRNA-seq further revealed that the Hippo signaling, cell adhesion, and axon guidance pathways were involved in the response to an I. scapularis bite in humans. Features of the host response in these individuals also overlapped with that of laboratory guinea pigs exposed to I. scapularis and which acquired resistance to ticks. These findings offer novel insights for the development of new biomarkers for I. scapularis exposure and anti-tick vaccines for human use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotian Tang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Geoffrey E. Lynn
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Yingjun Cui
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jiri Cerny
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Praha-Suchdol, Czechia
| | - Gunjan Arora
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Mary M. Tomayko
- Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Joseph Craft
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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19
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Tang X, Cao Y, Booth CJ, Arora G, Cui Y, Matias J, Fikrig E. Adiponectin in the mammalian host influences ticks' acquisition of the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002331. [PMID: 37862360 PMCID: PMC10619873 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Arthropod-borne pathogens cause some of the most important human and animal infectious diseases. Many vectors acquire or transmit pathogens through the process of blood feeding. Here, we report adiponectin, the most abundant adipocyte-derived hormone circulating in human blood, directly or indirectly inhibits acquisition of the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, by Ixodes scapularis ticks. Rather than altering tick feeding or spirochete viability, adiponectin or its associated factors induces host histamine release when the tick feeds, which leads to vascular leakage, infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages, and inflammation at the bite site. Consistent with this, adiponectin-deficient mice have diminished pro-inflammatory responses, including interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-1β, following a tick bite, compared with wild-type animals. All these factors mediated by adiponectin or associated factors influence B. burgdorferi survival at the tick bite site. These results suggest a host adipocyte-derived hormone modulates pathogen acquisition by a blood-feeding arthropod.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotian Tang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Yongguo Cao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Carmen J Booth
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Gunjan Arora
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Yingjun Cui
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Jaqueline Matias
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
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20
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Ishtayeh H, Galves M, Barnatan TT, Berdichevsky Y, Amer‐Sarsour F, Pasmanik‐Chor M, Braverman I, Blumen SC, Ashkenazi A. Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy mutations link the RNA-binding protein HNRNPQ to autophagosome biogenesis. Aging Cell 2023; 22:e13949. [PMID: 37559347 PMCID: PMC10577562 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13949] [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: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is an intracellular degradative process with an important role in cellular homeostasis. Here, we show that the RNA binding protein (RBP), heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein Q (HNRNPQ)/SYNCRIP is required to stimulate early events in autophagosome biogenesis, in particular the induction of VPS34 kinase by ULK1-mediated beclin 1 phosphorylation. The RBPs HNRNPQ and poly(A) binding protein nuclear 1 (PABPN1) form a regulatory network that controls the turnover of distinct autophagy-related (ATG) proteins. We also show that oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) mutations engender a switch from autophagosome stimulation to autophagosome inhibition by impairing PABPN1 and HNRNPQ control of the level of ULK1. The overexpression of HNRNPQ in OPMD patient-derived cells rescues the defective autophagy in these cells. Our data reveal a regulatory mechanism of autophagy induction that is compromised by PABPN1 disease mutations, and may thus further contribute to their deleterious effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Ishtayeh
- The Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of MedicineTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Margarita Galves
- The Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of MedicineTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Tania T. Barnatan
- The Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of MedicineTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Yevgeny Berdichevsky
- The Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of MedicineTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Fatima Amer‐Sarsour
- The Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of MedicineTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Metsada Pasmanik‐Chor
- Bioinformatics Unit, G.S. Wise Faculty of Life ScienceTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Itzhak Braverman
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck SurgeryHillel Yaffe Medical CenterHaderaIsrael
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, TechnionHaifaIsrael
| | - Sergiu C. Blumen
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, TechnionHaifaIsrael
- Department of NeurologyHillel Yaffe Medical CenterHaderaIsrael
| | - Avraham Ashkenazi
- The Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Faculty of MedicineTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Sagol School of NeuroscienceTel Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
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21
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Puppala S, Chan J, Zimmerman KD, Hamid Z, Ampong I, Huber HF, Li G, Jadhav AYL, Li C, Nathanielsz PW, Olivier M, Cox LA. Multi-omics Analysis of Aging Liver Reveals Changes in Endoplasmic Stress and Degradation Pathways in Female Nonhuman Primates. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.21.554149. [PMID: 37662261 PMCID: PMC10473634 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.21.554149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
The liver is critical for functions that support metabolism, immunity, digestion, detoxification, and vitamin storage. Aging is associated with severity and poor prognosis of various liver diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Previous studies have used multi-omic approaches to study liver diseases or to examine the effects of aging on the liver. However, to date, no studies have used an integrated omics approach to investigate aging-associated molecular changes in the livers of healthy female nonhuman primates. The goal of this study was to identify molecular changes associated with healthy aging in the livers of female baboons ( Papio sp., n=35) by integrating multiple omics data types (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) from samples across the adult age span. To integrate omics data, we performed unbiased weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and the results revealed 3 modules containing 3,149 genes and 33 proteins were positively correlated with age, and 2 modules containing 37 genes and 216 proteins were negatively correlated with age. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that unfolded protein response (UPR) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress were positively associated with age, whereas xenobiotic metabolism and melatonin and serotonin degradation pathways were negatively associated with age. The findings of our study suggest that UPR and a reduction in reactive oxygen species generated from serotonin degradation could protect the liver from oxidative stress during the aging process in healthy female baboons.
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22
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Zimmerman KD, Chan J, Glenn JP, Birnbaum S, Li C, Nathanielsz PW, Olivier M, Cox LA. Moderate maternal nutrient reduction in pregnancy alters fatty acid oxidation and RNA splicing in the nonhuman primate fetal liver. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2023; 14:381-388. [PMID: 36924159 PMCID: PMC10202844 DOI: 10.1017/s204017442300003x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Fetal liver tissue collected from a nonhuman primate (NHP) baboon model of maternal nutrient reduction (MNR) at four gestational time points (90, 120, 140, and 165 days gestation [dG], term in the baboon is ∼185 dG) was used to quantify MNR effects on the fetal liver transcriptome. 28 transcripts demonstrated different expression patterns between MNR and control livers during the second half of gestation, a developmental period when the fetus undergoes rapid weight gain and fat accumulation. Differentially expressed transcripts were enriched for fatty acid oxidation and RNA splicing-related pathways. Increased RNA splicing activity in MNR was reflected in greater abundances of transcript splice variant isoforms in the MNR group. It can be hypothesized that the increase in splice variants is deployed in an effort to adapt to the poor in utero environment and ensure near-normal development and energy metabolism. This study is the first to study developmental programming across four critical gestational stages during primate fetal liver development and reveals a potentially novel cellular response mechanism mediating fetal programming in response to MNR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kip D. Zimmerman
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jeannie Chan
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jeremy P. Glenn
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA and
| | - Shifra Birnbaum
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA and
| | - Cun Li
- Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Peter W. Nathanielsz
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA and
- Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Michael Olivier
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Laura A. Cox
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA and
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23
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Sobol G, Majhi BB, Pasmanik-Chor M, Zhang N, Roberts HM, Martin GB, Sessa G. Tomato receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase Fir1 is involved in flagellin signaling and preinvasion immunity. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 192:565-581. [PMID: 36511947 PMCID: PMC10152693 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Detection of bacterial flagellin by the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) receptors Flagellin sensing 2 (Fls2) and Fls3 triggers activation of pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). We identified the tomato Fls2/Fls3-interacting receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase 1 (Fir1) protein that is involved in PTI triggered by flagellin perception. Fir1 localized to the plasma membrane and interacted with Fls2 and Fls3 in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and in planta. CRISPR/Cas9-generated tomato fir1 mutants were impaired in several immune responses induced by the flagellin-derived peptides flg22 and flgII-28, including resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000, production of reactive oxygen species, and enhanced PATHOGENESIS-RELATED 1b (PR1b) gene expression, but not MAP kinase phosphorylation. Remarkably, fir1 mutants developed larger Pst DC3000 populations than wild-type plants, whereas no differences were observed in wild-type and fir1 mutant plants infected with the flagellin deficient Pst DC3000ΔfliC. fir1 mutants failed to close stomata when infected with Pst DC3000 and Pseudomonas fluorescens and were more susceptible to Pst DC3000 than wild-type plants when inoculated by dipping, but not by vacuum-infiltration, indicating involvement of Fir1 in preinvasion immunity. RNA-seq analysis detected fewer differentially expressed genes in fir1 mutants and altered expression of jasmonic acid (JA)-related genes. In support of JA response deregulation in fir1 mutants, these plants were similarly susceptible to Pst DC3000 and to the coronatine-deficient Pst DC3118 strain, and more resistant to the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea following PTI activation. These results indicate that tomato Fir1 is required for a subset of flagellin-triggered PTI responses and support a model in which Fir1 negatively regulates JA signaling during PTI activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Sobol
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, 69978 Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Bharat Bhusan Majhi
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, 69978 Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Metsada Pasmanik-Chor
- Bioinformatics Unit, G.S. Wise Faculty of Life Science, Tel-Aviv University, 69978 Tel- Aviv, Israel
| | - Ning Zhang
- Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research and Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Holly M Roberts
- Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research and Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Gregory B Martin
- Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research and Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA
| | - Guido Sessa
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, 69978 Tel-Aviv, Israel
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24
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Ushiki A, Sheng RR, Zhang Y, Zhao J, Nobuhara M, Murray E, Ruan X, Rios JJ, Wise CA, Ahituv N. Deletion of Pax1 scoliosis-associated regulatory elements leads to a female-biased tail abnormality. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.12.536497. [PMID: 37090618 PMCID: PMC10120660 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.12.536497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), a sideways curvature of the spine, is sexually dimorphic, with increased incidence in females. A GWAS identified a female-specific AIS susceptibility locus near the PAX1 gene. Here, we used mouse enhancer assays, three mouse enhancer knockouts and subsequent phenotypic analyses to characterize this region. Using mouse enhancer assays, we characterized a sequence, PEC7, that overlaps the AIS-associated variant, and found it to be active in the tail tip and intervertebral disc. Removal of PEC7 or Xe1, a known sclerotome enhancer nearby, and deletion of both sequences led to a kinky phenotype only in the Xe1 and combined (Xe1+PEC7) knockouts, with only the latter showing a female sex dimorphic phenotype. Extensive phenotypic characterization of these mouse lines implicated several differentially expressed genes and estrogen signaling in the sex dimorphic bias. In summary, our work functionally characterizes an AIS-associated locus and dissects the mechanism for its sexual dimorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aki Ushiki
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Rory R. Sheng
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Yichi Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Mai Nobuhara
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Elizabeth Murray
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Xin Ruan
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jonathan J. Rios
- Center for Pediatric Bone Biology and Translational Research, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX 75219, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Carol A. Wise
- Center for Pediatric Bone Biology and Translational Research, Scottish Rite for Children, Dallas, TX 75219, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Nadav Ahituv
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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25
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Awada R, Lepelley M, Breton D, Charpagne A, Campa C, Berry V, Georget F, Breitler JC, Léran S, Djerrab D, Martinez-Seidel F, Descombes P, Crouzillat D, Bertrand B, Etienne H. Global transcriptome profiling reveals differential regulatory, metabolic and hormonal networks during somatic embryogenesis in Coffea arabica. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:41. [PMID: 36694132 PMCID: PMC9875526 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-09098-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is one of the most promising processes for large-scale dissemination of elite varieties. However, for many plant species, optimizing SE protocols still relies on a trial and error approach. We report the first global scale transcriptome profiling performed at all developmental stages of SE in coffee to unravel the mechanisms that regulate cell fate and totipotency. RESULTS RNA-seq of 48 samples (12 developmental stages × 4 biological replicates) generated 90 million high quality reads per sample, approximately 74% of which were uniquely mapped to the Arabica genome. First, the statistical analysis of transcript data clearly grouped SE developmental stages into seven important phases (Leaf, Dedifferentiation, Primary callus, Embryogenic callus, Embryogenic cell clusters, Redifferentiation and Embryo) enabling the identification of six key developmental phase switches, which are strategic for the overall biological efficiency of embryo regeneration. Differential gene expression and functional analysis showed that genes encoding transcription factors, stress-related genes, metabolism-related genes and hormone signaling-related genes were significantly enriched. Second, the standard environmental drivers used to control SE, i.e. light, growth regulators and cell density, were clearly perceived at the molecular level at different developmental stages. Third, expression profiles of auxin-related genes, transcription factor-related genes and secondary metabolism-related genes were analyzed during SE. Gene co-expression networks were also inferred. Auxin-related genes were upregulated during dedifferentiation and redifferentiation while transcription factor-related genes were switched on from the embryogenic callus and onward. Secondary metabolism-related genes were switched off during dedifferentiation and switched back on at the onset of redifferentiation. Secondary metabolites and endogenous IAA content were tightly linked with their respective gene expression. Lastly, comparing Arabica embryogenic and non-embryogenic cell transcriptomes enabled the identification of biological processes involved in the acquisition of embryogenic capacity. CONCLUSIONS The present analysis showed that transcript fingerprints are discriminating signatures of cell fate and are under the direct influence of environmental drivers. A total of 23 molecular candidates were successfully identified overall the 12 developmental stages and can be tested in many plant species to optimize SE protocols in a rational way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rayan Awada
- Nestlé Research - Plant Science Research Unit, Tours, France ,grid.8183.20000 0001 2153 9871UMR DIADE, CIRAD, Montpellier, France ,grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141UMR DIADE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, IRD France
| | - Maud Lepelley
- Nestlé Research - Plant Science Research Unit, Tours, France
| | - David Breton
- Nestlé Research - Plant Science Research Unit, Tours, France
| | - Aline Charpagne
- grid.419905.00000 0001 0066 4948Nestlé Research, Société Des Produits Nestlé SA, Lausanne, Switzerland ,grid.511382.c0000 0004 7595 5223Sophia Genetics, Genève, Switzerland
| | - Claudine Campa
- grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141UMR DIADE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, IRD France ,grid.4399.70000000122879528UMR DIADE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Victoria Berry
- Nestlé Research - Plant Science Research Unit, Tours, France
| | - Frédéric Georget
- grid.8183.20000 0001 2153 9871UMR DIADE, CIRAD, Montpellier, France ,grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141UMR DIADE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, IRD France
| | - Jean-Christophe Breitler
- grid.8183.20000 0001 2153 9871UMR DIADE, CIRAD, Montpellier, France ,grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141UMR DIADE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, IRD France
| | - Sophie Léran
- grid.8183.20000 0001 2153 9871UMR DIADE, CIRAD, Montpellier, France ,grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141UMR DIADE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, IRD France
| | - Doâa Djerrab
- grid.8183.20000 0001 2153 9871UMR DIADE, CIRAD, Montpellier, France ,grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141UMR DIADE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, IRD France
| | - Federico Martinez-Seidel
- grid.418390.70000 0004 0491 976XMax Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, Golm, Germany ,grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XSchool of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC Australia
| | - Patrick Descombes
- grid.419905.00000 0001 0066 4948Nestlé Research, Société Des Produits Nestlé SA, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Benoît Bertrand
- grid.8183.20000 0001 2153 9871UMR DIADE, CIRAD, Montpellier, France ,grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141UMR DIADE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, IRD France
| | - Hervé Etienne
- grid.8183.20000 0001 2153 9871UMR DIADE, CIRAD, Montpellier, France ,grid.121334.60000 0001 2097 0141UMR DIADE, Université de Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, IRD France
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26
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Gao Y, Wang F, Wang R, Kutschera E, Xu Y, Xie S, Wang Y, Kadash-Edmondson KE, Lin L, Xing Y. ESPRESSO: Robust discovery and quantification of transcript isoforms from error-prone long-read RNA-seq data. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eabq5072. [PMID: 36662851 PMCID: PMC9858503 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq5072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Long-read RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) holds great potential for characterizing transcriptome variation and full-length transcript isoforms, but the relatively high error rate of current long-read sequencing platforms poses a major challenge. We present ESPRESSO, a computational tool for robust discovery and quantification of transcript isoforms from error-prone long reads. ESPRESSO jointly considers alignments of all long reads aligned to a gene and uses error profiles of individual reads to improve the identification of splice junctions and the discovery of their corresponding transcript isoforms. On both a synthetic spike-in RNA sample and human RNA samples, ESPRESSO outperforms multiple contemporary tools in not only transcript isoform discovery but also transcript isoform quantification. In total, we generated and analyzed ~1.1 billion nanopore RNA-seq reads covering 30 human tissue samples and three human cell lines. ESPRESSO and its companion dataset provide a useful resource for studying the RNA repertoire of eukaryotic transcriptomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Gao
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Feng Wang
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Robert Wang
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Genomics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Eric Kutschera
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yang Xu
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Genomics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Stephan Xie
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kathryn E. Kadash-Edmondson
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lan Lin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yi Xing
- Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Firat H, Zhang L, Baksi S, Leszek P, Schordan E, Ounzain S, Kottwitz J, Patriki D, Heidecker B, Lüscher TF, Pedrazzini T, Devaux Y. FIMICS: A panel of long noncoding RNAs for cardiovascular conditions. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13087. [PMID: 36747920 PMCID: PMC9898641 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disorders such as heart failure are leading causes of mortality. Patient stratification via identification of novel biomarkers could improve management of cardiovascular diseases of complex etiologies. Long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are highly tissue-specific in nature and have emerged as important biomarkers in human diseases. In this study, we aimed to identify cardiac-enriched lncRNAs as potential biomarkers for cardiovascular conditions. Deep RNA sequencing and quantitative PCR identified differentially expressed lncRNAs between failing and non-failing hearts. An independent dataset was used to evaluate the enrichment of lncRNAs in normal hearts. We identified a panel of 2906 lncRNAs, named FIMICS, that were either cardiac-enriched or differentially expressed between failing and non-failing hearts. Expression of lncRNAs in blood samples differentiated patients with myocarditis and acute myocardial infarction. We hereby present the FIMICS panel, a readily available tool to provide insights into cardiovascular pathologies and which could be helpful for diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lu Zhang
- Cardiovascular Research Unit, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Shounak Baksi
- Cardiovascular Research Unit, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Przemyslaw Leszek
- The Heart Failure and Transplantology Department, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | | - Jan Kottwitz
- Division of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Rescue and Pain Medicine, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, 9007 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Dimitri Patriki
- Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Thomas F. Lüscher
- Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals GSTT, Imperial College and Kings College London, U.K. and Center for Molecular Cardiology, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thierry Pedrazzini
- Experimental Cardiology Unit, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Lausanne Medical School, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yvan Devaux
- Cardiovascular Research Unit, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg,Corresponding author. Cardiovascular Research Unit, Luxembourg Institute of Health, L1445, Luxembourg.
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Kitaura Y, Nakamura U, Awada C, Yamaguchi M, Kim M, Ikeda Y, Matsuo Y, Moriishi T, Sawase T, Chung UI, Hojo H, Ohba S. Orally administrable peptides derived from egg yolk promote skeletal repair and ameliorate degenerative skeletal disorders in mouse models. Regen Ther 2022; 21:584-595. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reth.2022.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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Tang X, Arora G, Matias J, Hart T, Cui Y, Fikrig E. A tick C1q protein alters infectivity of the Lyme disease agent by modulating interferon γ. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111673. [PMID: 36417869 PMCID: PMC9909562 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In North America, the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, is commonly transmitted by the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis. Tick saliva facilitates blood feeding and enhances pathogen survival and transmission. Here, we demonstrate that I. scapularis complement C1q-like protein 3 (IsC1ql3), a tick salivary protein, directly interacts with B. burgdorferi and is important during the initial stage of spirochetal infection of mice. Mice fed upon by B. burgdorferi-infected IsC1ql3-silenced ticks, or IsC1ql3-immunized mice fed upon by B. burgdorferi-infected ticks, have a lower spirochete burden during the early phase of infection compared with control animals. Mechanically, IsC1ql3 interacts with the globular C1q receptor present on the surface of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, resulting in decreased production of interferon γ. IsC1ql3 is a C1q-domain-containing protein identified in arthropod vectors and has an important role in B. burgdorferi infectivity as the spirochete transitions from the tick to vertebrate host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotian Tang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Gunjan Arora
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jaqueline Matias
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Thomas Hart
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yingjun Cui
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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30
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Arora G, Lynn GE, Tang X, Rosen CE, Hoornstra D, Sajid A, Hovius JW, Palm NW, Ring AM, Fikrig E. CD55 Facilitates Immune Evasion by Borrelia crocidurae, an Agent of Relapsing Fever. mBio 2022; 13:e0116122. [PMID: 36036625 PMCID: PMC9600505 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01161-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Relapsing fever, caused by diverse Borrelia spirochetes, is prevalent in many parts of the world and causes significant morbidity and mortality. To investigate the pathoetiology of relapsing fever, we performed a high-throughput screen of Borrelia-binding host factors using a library of human extracellular and secretory proteins and identified CD55 as a novel host binding partner of Borrelia crocidurae and Borrelia persica, two agents of relapsing fever in Africa and Eurasia. CD55 is present on the surface of erythrocytes, carries the Cromer blood group antigens, and protects cells from complement-mediated lysis. Using flow cytometry, we confirmed that both human and murine CD55 bound to B. crocidurae and B. persica. Given the expression of CD55 on erythrocytes, we investigated the role of CD55 in pathological B. crocidurae-induced erythrocyte aggregation (rosettes), which enables spirochete immune evasion. We showed that rosette formation was partially dependent on host cell CD55 expression. Pharmacologically, soluble recombinant CD55 inhibited erythrocyte rosette formation. Finally, CD55-deficient mice infected with B. crocidurae had a lower pathogen load and elevated proinflammatory cytokine and complement factor C5a levels. In summary, our results indicate that CD55 is a host factor that is manipulated by the causative agents of relapsing fever for immune evasion. IMPORTANCE Borrelia species are causative agents of Lyme disease and relapsing fever infections in humans. B. crocidurae causes one of the most prevalent relapsing fever infections in parts of West Africa. In the endemic regions, B. crocidurae is present in ~17% of the ticks and ~11% of the rodents that serve as reservoirs. In Senegal, ~7% of patients with acute febrile illness were found to be infected with B. crocidurae. There is little information on host-pathogen interactions and how B. crocidurae manipulates host immunity. In this study, we used a high-throughput screen to identify host proteins that interact with relapsing fever-causing Borrelia species. We identified CD55 as one of the host proteins that bind to B. crocidurae and B. persica, the two causes of relapsing fever in Africa and Eurasia. We show that the interaction of B. crocidurae with CD55, present on the surface of erythrocytes, is key to immune evasion and successful infection in vivo. Our study further shows the role of CD55 in complement regulation, regulation of inflammatory cytokine levels, and innate immunity during relapsing fever infection. Overall, this study sheds light on host-pathogen interactions during relapsing fever infection in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunjan Arora
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Geoffrey E. Lynn
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Xiaotian Tang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Connor E. Rosen
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Dieuwertje Hoornstra
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Andaleeb Sajid
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Joppe W. Hovius
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Noah W. Palm
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Aaron M. Ring
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Guy R, Herman S, Benyamini H, Ben-Zur T, Kobo H, Pasmanik-Chor M, Yaacobi D, Barel E, Yagil C, Yagil Y, Offen D. Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as Proposed Therapy in a Rat Model of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911211. [PMID: 36232513 PMCID: PMC9569832 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) have been employed in the past decade as therapeutic agents in various diseases, including central nervous system (CNS) disorders. We currently aimed to use MSC-EVs as potential treatment for cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), a complex disorder with a variety of manifestations. MSC-EVs were intranasally administrated to salt-sensitive hypertension prone SBH/y rats that were DOCA-salt loaded (SBH/y-DS), which we have previously shown is a model of CSVD. MSC-EVs accumulated within brain lesion sites of SBH/y-DS. An in vitro model of an inflammatory environment in the brain demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties of MSC-EVs. Following in vivo MSC-EV treatment, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of SBH/y-DS cortices revealed downregulation of immune system response-related gene sets. In addition, MSC-EVs downregulated gene sets related to apoptosis, wound healing and coagulation, and upregulated gene sets associated with synaptic signaling and cognition. While no specific gene was markedly altered upon treatment, the synergistic effect of all gene alternations was sufficient to increase animal survival and improve the neurological state of affected SBH/y-DS rats. Our data suggest MSC-EVs act as microenvironment modulators, through various molecular pathways. We conclude that MSC-EVs may serve as beneficial therapeutic measure for multifactorial disorders, such as CSVD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reut Guy
- Department of Human Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Shay Herman
- Department of Human Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Hadar Benyamini
- Info-CORE, Bioinformatics Unit of the I-CORE at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9103401, Israel
| | - Tali Ben-Zur
- Department of Human Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Hila Kobo
- Genomics Research Unit, George Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Metsada Pasmanik-Chor
- Bioinformatics Unit, George Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Dafna Yaacobi
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah-Tikva 49100, Israel
| | - Eric Barel
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah-Tikva 49100, Israel
| | - Chana Yagil
- Israeli Rat Genome Center, Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Barzilai University Medical Center, Ashkelon 78306, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Yoram Yagil
- Israeli Rat Genome Center, Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Barzilai University Medical Center, Ashkelon 78306, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Daniel Offen
- Department of Human Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +972-523-342-737
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Dash BP, Freischmidt A, Weishaupt JH, Hermann A. Downstream Effects of Mutations in SOD1 and TARDBP Converge on Gene Expression Impairment in Patient-Derived Motor Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179652. [PMID: 36077049 PMCID: PMC9456253 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease marked by death of motor neurons (MNs) present in the spinal cord, brain stem and motor cortex. Despite extensive research, the reason for neurodegeneration is still not understood. To generate novel hypotheses of putative underlying molecular mechanisms, we used human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSCs)-derived motor neurons (MNs) from SOD1- and TARDBP (TDP-43 protein)-mutant-ALS patients and healthy controls to perform high-throughput RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq). An integrated bioinformatics approach was employed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and key pathways underlying these familial forms of the disease (fALS). In TDP43-ALS, we found dysregulation of transcripts encoding components of the transcriptional machinery and transcripts involved in splicing regulation were particularly affected. In contrast, less is known about the role of SOD1 in RNA metabolism in motor neurons. Here, we found that many transcripts relevant for mitochondrial function were specifically altered in SOD1-ALS, indicating that transcriptional signatures and expression patterns can vary significantly depending on the causal gene that is mutated. Surprisingly, however, we identified a clear downregulation of genes involved in protein translation in SOD1-ALS suggesting that ALS-causing SOD1 mutations shift cellular RNA abundance profiles to cause neural dysfunction. Altogether, we provided here an extensive profiling of mRNA expression in two ALS models at the cellular level, corroborating the major role of RNA metabolism and gene expression as a common pathomechanism in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banaja P. Dash
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht-Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | | | - Jochen H. Weishaupt
- Division of Neurodegeneration, Department of Neurology, Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andreas Hermann
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht-Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
- Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock, University Medical Center Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Rostock/Greifswald, 18147 Rostock, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-(0)381-494-9541; Fax: +49-(0)381-494-9542
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Leung HW, Foo G, VanDongen A. Arc Regulates Transcription of Genes for Plasticity, Excitability and Alzheimer’s Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10081946. [PMID: 36009494 PMCID: PMC9405677 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The immediate early gene Arc is a master regulator of synaptic function and a critical determinant of memory consolidation. Here, we show that Arc interacts with dynamic chromatin and closely associates with histone markers for active enhancers and transcription in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Both these histone modifications, H3K27Ac and H3K9Ac, have recently been shown to be upregulated in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). When Arc induction by pharmacological network activation was prevented using a short hairpin RNA, the expression profile was altered for over 1900 genes, which included genes associated with synaptic function, neuronal plasticity, intrinsic excitability, and signalling pathways. Interestingly, about 100 Arc-dependent genes are associated with the pathophysiology of AD. When endogenous Arc expression was induced in HEK293T cells, the transcription of many neuronal genes was increased, suggesting that Arc can control expression in the absence of activated signalling pathways. Taken together, these data establish Arc as a master regulator of neuronal activity-dependent gene expression and suggest that it plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriel Foo
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Antonius VanDongen
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Correspondence:
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Mori JO, White J, Elhussin I, Duduyemi BM, Karanam B, Yates C, Wang H. Molecular and pathological subtypes related to prostate cancer disparities and disease outcomes in African American and European American patients. Front Oncol 2022; 12:928357. [PMID: 36033462 PMCID: PMC9399459 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.928357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) disproportionately affects African American (AA) men, yet present biomarkers do not address the observed racial disparity. The objective of this study was to identify biomarkers with potential benefits to AA PCa patients. Differentially expressed genes (DEG) analysis coupled with gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and leading-edge genes analysis showed that the keratin family of genes, including KRT8, KRT15, KRT19, KRT34, and KRT80, constituted the single most prominent family of genes enriched in AA compared to European American (EA) PCa cell lines. In PCa patients (TCGA and MSKCC patient cohorts), KRT8, KRT15, and KRT19 expression were relatively higher in AA than in EA patients. The differences in the expression of KRT15 and KRT19, but not KRT8, were enhanced by Gleason score and ERG fusion status; in low Gleason (Gleason ≤ 6 [TCGA cohort] and Gleason ≤ 7 [MSKCC cohort]), the expression of KRT15 and KRT19 was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher in AA than in EA patients. Survival analysis revealed that high expression of KRT15 and KRT19 was associated with increased risk of biochemical recurrence in low Gleason category patients in the TCGA patient cohort. Interestingly, KRT15 and KRT19 expression were also associated with an increased risk of death in the metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma cohort, suggesting the potential to predict the risks of disease recurrence and death in the low Gleason category and advanced disease conditions respectively. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed known oncogenic gene signatures, including KRAS and ERBB2, to be enriched in patients expressing high KRT15 and KRT19. Furthermore, high KRT15 and KRT19 were linked to the basal and LumA PCa subtypes, which are associated with poor postoperative androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) response compared to the LumB subtype. Taken together, the present study identifies genes with high expression in AA than in EA PCa. The identified genes are linked to oncogenic gene signatures, including KRAS and ERBB2, and to basal and LumA PCa subtypes that are associated with poor postoperative ADT response. This study, therefore, reveals biomarkers with the potential to address biomarker bias in PCa risk stratification and/or prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joakin O. Mori
- Department of Biology and Center for Cancer Research, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, United States
- Department of Integrative Biosciences, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, United States
| | - Jason White
- Department of Biology and Center for Cancer Research, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, United States
| | - Isra Elhussin
- Department of Biology and Center for Cancer Research, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, United States
- Department of Integrative Biosciences, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, United States
| | - Babatunde M. Duduyemi
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospital, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Balasubramanyam Karanam
- Department of Biology and Center for Cancer Research, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, United States
| | - Clayton Yates
- Department of Biology and Center for Cancer Research, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, United States
| | - Honghe Wang
- Department of Biology and Center for Cancer Research, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, United States
- *Correspondence: Honghe Wang,
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35
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Zhang R, Qin G, Tu D. A robust threshold t linear mixed model for subgroup identification using multivariate T distributions. Comput Stat 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00180-022-01229-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Park K, Zhong J, Jang JS, Kim J, Kim HJ, Lee JH, Kim J. ZWC complex-mediated SPT5 phosphorylation suppresses divergent antisense RNA transcription at active gene promoters. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:3835-3851. [PMID: 35325203 PMCID: PMC9023261 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac193] [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: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The human genome encodes large numbers of non-coding RNAs, including divergent antisense transcripts at transcription start sites (TSSs). However, molecular mechanisms by which divergent antisense transcription is regulated have not been detailed. Here, we report a novel ZWC complex composed of ZC3H4, WDR82 and CK2 that suppresses divergent antisense transcription. The ZWC complex preferentially localizes at TSSs of active genes through direct interactions of ZC3H4 and WDR82 subunits with the S5p RNAPII C-terminal domain. ZC3H4 depletion leads to increased divergent antisense transcription, especially at genes that naturally produce divergent antisense transcripts. We further demonstrate that the ZWC complex phosphorylates the previously uncharacterized N-terminal acidic domain of SPT5, a subunit of the transcription-elongation factor DSIF, and that this phosphorylation is responsible for suppressing divergent antisense transcription. Our study provides evidence that the newly identified ZWC-DSIF axis regulates the direction of transcription during the transition from early to productive elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kihyun Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Jian Zhong
- Epigenomics Program, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Jin Sung Jang
- Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Division of Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Jihyun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
| | - Hye-Jung Kim
- New Drug Development Center, OSONG Medical Innovation Foundation, Cheongju 28160, South Korea
| | - Jeong-Heon Lee
- Epigenomics Program, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Division of Experimental Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Jaehoon Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
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Metformin and ICG-001 Act Synergistically to Abrogate Cancer Stem Cells-Mediated Chemoresistance in Colorectal Cancer by Promoting Apoptosis and Autophagy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14051281. [PMID: 35267590 PMCID: PMC8908991 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14051281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed and lethal malignancies. The majority of CRC patients experience disease relapse after the primary curative treatment strategy of surgery followed by 5FU-based chemotherapy. The presence of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) is considered to be one of the contributing factors to therapy resistance and disease relapse in CRC. Previous studies implicated the role of the Wnt signaling pathway in the maintenance of the CSC phenotype. Therefore, in this study we explored a novel therapeutic strategy using metformin along with ICG-001, a Wnt signaling inhibitor, to abrogate CSC-mediated chemoresistance in CRC. We observed that metformin and ICG-001 abrogate stemness in a synergistic manner by promoting autophagy and apoptosis in 5FU-resistant CRC cells as well as in CRC patient-derived tumor organoids. Hence, metformin and ICG-001 can be used as part of a therapeutic strategy to overcome 5FU-mediated therapeutic resistance in CRC. Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the third most frequently diagnosed cancer in the United States. The current treatment regimens for CRC include surgery followed by 5FU-based chemotherapy. Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) have been implicated in 5FU-mediated chemoresistance, which leads to poor prognosis. In this study, we used metformin along with ICG-001, a Wnt signaling inhibitor, to abrogate CSC-mediated chemoresistance in CRC. We observed that 5FU-resistant (5FUR) CRC cells exhibited increased expression of CSC markers and enhanced spheroid formation. Genome-wide transcriptomic profiling analysis revealed that Wnt signaling, colorectal cancer metastasis signaling, etc., were enriched in 5FUR CRC cells. Accordingly, selective targeting of Wnt signaling using ICG-001 along with metformin abrogated CSC-mediated chemoresistance by decreasing the expression of CSC markers and promoting autophagy and apoptosis in a synergistic manner. We also observed that metformin and ICG-001 exhibited anti-tumor activity in CRC patient-derived tumor organoids. In conclusion, our study highlights that metformin and ICG-001 act synergistically and can be used as part of a therapeutic strategy to overcome 5FU-mediated therapeutic resistance in CRC.
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Preston JC, Wooliver R, Driscoll H, Coughlin A, Sheth SN. Spatial variation in high temperature-regulated gene expression predicts evolution of plasticity with climate change in the scarlet monkeyflower. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:1254-1268. [PMID: 34859530 PMCID: PMC8821412 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
A major way that organisms can adapt to changing environmental conditions is by evolving increased or decreased phenotypic plasticity. In the face of current global warming, more attention is being paid to the role of plasticity in maintaining fitness as abiotic conditions change over time. However, given that temporal data can be challenging to acquire, a major question is whether evolution in plasticity across space can predict adaptive plasticity across time. In growth chambers simulating two thermal regimes, we generated transcriptome data for western North American scarlet monkeyflowers (Mimulus cardinalis) collected from different latitudes and years (2010 and 2017) to test hypotheses about how plasticity in gene expression is responding to increases in temperature, and if this pattern is consistent across time and space. Supporting the genetic compensation hypothesis, individuals whose progenitors were collected from the warmer-origin northern 2017 descendant cohort showed lower thermal plasticity in gene expression than their cooler-origin northern 2010 ancestors. This was largely due to a change in response at the warmer (40°C) rather than cooler (20°C) treatment. A similar pattern of reduced plasticity, largely due to a change in response at 40°C, was also found for the cooler-origin northern versus the warmer-origin southern population from 2017. Our results demonstrate that reduced phenotypic plasticity can evolve with warming and that spatial and temporal changes in plasticity predict one another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill C. Preston
- Department of Plant Biology, The University of Vermont, 63 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405, USA,Corresponding author:
| | - Rachel Wooliver
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA,Current address: Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Heather Driscoll
- Bioinformatics Core, Vermont Biomedical Research Network, Department of Biology, Norwich University, 158 Harmon Drive, Northfield, VT 05663, USA
| | - Aeran Coughlin
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Seema N. Sheth
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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Cox LA, Chan J, Rao P, Hamid Z, Glenn JP, Jadhav A, Das V, Karere GM, Quillen E, Kavanagh K, Olivier M. Integrated omics analysis reveals sirtuin signaling is central to hepatic response to a high fructose diet. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:870. [PMID: 34861817 PMCID: PMC8641221 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08166-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dietary high fructose (HFr) is a known metabolic disruptor contributing to development of obesity and diabetes in Western societies. Initial molecular changes from exposure to HFr on liver metabolism may be essential to understand the perturbations leading to insulin resistance and abnormalities in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. We studied vervet monkeys (Clorocebus aethiops sabaeus) fed a HFr (n=5) or chow diet (n=5) for 6 weeks, and obtained clinical measures of liver function, blood insulin, cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, we performed untargeted global transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics analyses on liver biopsies to determine the molecular impact of a HFr diet on coordinated pathways and networks that differed by diet. RESULTS We show that integration of omics data sets improved statistical significance for some pathways and networks, and decreased significance for others, suggesting that multiple omics datasets enhance confidence in relevant pathway and network identification. Specifically, we found that sirtuin signaling and a peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARA) regulatory network were significantly altered in hepatic response to HFr. Integration of metabolomics and miRNAs data further strengthened our findings. CONCLUSIONS Our integrated analysis of three types of omics data with pathway and regulatory network analysis demonstrates the usefulness of this approach for discovery of molecular networks central to a biological response. In addition, metabolites aspartic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), protein ATG3, and genes ATG7, and HMGCS2 link sirtuin signaling and the PPARA network suggesting molecular mechanisms for altered hepatic gluconeogenesis from consumption of a HFr diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Cox
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, NRC, G-floor, NC, 27157, Winston-Salem, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 78245, San Antonio, TX, USA.
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 78245, San Antonio, TX, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 27157, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Jeannie Chan
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, NRC, G-floor, NC, 27157, Winston-Salem, USA
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 78245, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Prahlad Rao
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, TN, Memphis, USA
| | - Zeeshan Hamid
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, NRC, G-floor, NC, 27157, Winston-Salem, USA
| | - Jeremy P Glenn
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 78245, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 78245, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Avinash Jadhav
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, NRC, G-floor, NC, 27157, Winston-Salem, USA
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 78245, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Vivek Das
- Novo Nordisk Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Genesio M Karere
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, NRC, G-floor, NC, 27157, Winston-Salem, USA
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 78245, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ellen Quillen
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, NRC, G-floor, NC, 27157, Winston-Salem, USA
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 78245, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Kylie Kavanagh
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, NRC, G-floor, NC, 27157, Winston-Salem, USA
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 27157, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Michael Olivier
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, NRC, G-floor, NC, 27157, Winston-Salem, USA
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 78245, San Antonio, TX, USA
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Sajid A, Matias J, Arora G, Kurokawa C, DePonte K, Tang X, Lynn G, Wu MJ, Pal U, Strank NO, Pardi N, Narasimhan S, Weissman D, Fikrig E. mRNA vaccination induces tick resistance and prevents transmission of the Lyme disease agent. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:eabj9827. [PMID: 34788080 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abj9827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Ixodes scapularis ticks transmit many pathogens that cause human disease, including Borrelia burgdorferi. Acquired resistance to I. scapularis due to repeated tick exposure has the potential to prevent tick-borne infectious diseases, and salivary proteins have been postulated to contribute to this process. We examined the ability of lipid nanoparticle–containing nucleoside-modified mRNAs encoding 19 I. scapularis salivary proteins (19ISP) to enhance the recognition of a tick bite and diminish I. scapularis engorgement on a host and thereby prevent B. burgdorferi infection. Guinea pigs were immunized with a 19ISP mRNA vaccine and subsequently challenged with I. scapularis. Animals administered 19ISP developed erythema at the bite site shortly after ticks began to attach, and these ticks fed poorly, marked by early detachment and decreased engorgement weights. 19ISP immunization also impeded B. burgdorferi transmission in the guinea pigs. The effective induction of local redness early after I. scapularis attachment and the inability of the ticks to take a normal blood meal suggest that 19ISP may be used either alone or in conjunction with traditional pathogen-based vaccines for the prevention of Lyme disease, and potentially other tick-borne infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andaleeb Sajid
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Jaqueline Matias
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Gunjan Arora
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Cheyne Kurokawa
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Kathleen DePonte
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Xiaotian Tang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Geoffrey Lynn
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Ming-Jie Wu
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20472, USA
- Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, College Park, MD 20472, USA
| | - Norma Olivares Strank
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Norbert Pardi
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sukanya Narasimhan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Drew Weissman
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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Jang JS, Holicky E, Lau J, McDonough S, Mutawe M, Koster MJ, Warrington KJ, Cuninngham JM. Application of the 3' mRNA-Seq using unique molecular identifiers in highly degraded RNA derived from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:759. [PMID: 34689749 PMCID: PMC8543821 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08068-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples with clinical and histological data are a singularly valuable resource for developing new molecular biomarkers. However, transcriptome analysis remains challenging with standard mRNA-seq methods as FFPE derived-RNA samples are often highly modified and fragmented. The recently developed 3′ mRNA-seq method sequences the 3′ region of mRNA using unique molecular identifiers (UMI), thus generating gene expression data with minimal PCR bias. In this study, we evaluated the performance of 3′ mRNA-Seq using Lexogen QuantSeq 3′ mRNA-Seq Library Prep Kit FWD with UMI, comparing with TruSeq Stranded mRNA-Seq and RNA Exome Capture kit. The fresh-frozen (FF) and FFPE tissues yielded nucleotide sizes range from 13 to > 70% of DV200 values; input amounts ranged from 1 ng to 100 ng for validation. Results The total mapped reads of QuantSeq 3′ mRNA-Seq to the reference genome ranged from 99 to 74% across all samples. After PCR bias correction, 3 to 56% of total sequenced reads were retained. QuantSeq 3′ mRNA-Seq data showed highly reproducible data across replicates in Universal Human Reference RNA (UHR, R > 0.94) at input amounts from 1 ng to 100 ng, and FF and FFPE paired samples (R = 0.92) at 10 ng. Severely degraded FFPE RNA with ≤30% of DV200 value showed good concordance (R > 0.87) with 100 ng input. A moderate correlation was observed when directly comparing QuantSeq 3′ mRNA-Seq data with TruSeq Stranded mRNA-Seq (R = 0.78) and RNA Exome Capture data (R > 0.67). Conclusion In this study, QuantSeq 3′ mRNA-Seq with PCR bias correction using UMI is shown to be a suitable method for gene quantification in both FF and FFPE RNAs. 3′ mRNA-Seq with UMI may be applied to severely degraded RNA from FFPE tissues generating high-quality sequencing data. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-08068-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Sung Jang
- Genome Analysis Core, Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Stabile Research Building, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. .,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
| | - Eileen Holicky
- Genome Analysis Core, Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Stabile Research Building, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Julie Lau
- Genome Analysis Core, Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Stabile Research Building, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Samantha McDonough
- Genome Analysis Core, Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Stabile Research Building, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Mark Mutawe
- Genome Analysis Core, Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Stabile Research Building, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Matthew J Koster
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Kenneth J Warrington
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Julie M Cuninngham
- Genome Analysis Core, Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Stabile Research Building, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. .,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
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Loss of polycomb repressive complex 1 activity and chromosomal instability drive uveal melanoma progression. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5402. [PMID: 34518527 PMCID: PMC8438051 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25529-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosomal instability (CIN) and epigenetic alterations have been implicated in tumor progression and metastasis; yet how these two hallmarks of cancer are related remains poorly understood. By integrating genetic, epigenetic, and functional analyses at the single cell level, we show that progression of uveal melanoma (UM), the most common intraocular primary cancer in adults, is driven by loss of Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) in a subpopulation of tumor cells. This leads to transcriptional de-repression of PRC1-target genes and mitotic chromosome segregation errors. Ensuing CIN leads to the formation of rupture-prone micronuclei, exposing genomic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) to the cytosol. This provokes tumor cell-intrinsic inflammatory signaling, mediated by aberrant activation of the cGAS-STING pathway. PRC1 inhibition promotes nuclear enlargement, induces a transcriptional response that is associated with significantly worse patient survival and clinical outcomes, and enhances migration that is rescued upon pharmacologic inhibition of CIN or STING. Thus, deregulation of PRC1 can promote tumor progression by inducing CIN and represents an opportunity for early therapeutic intervention. The molecular underpinnings driving uveal melanoma (UM) progression are unknown. Here the authors show that loss of Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 triggers chromosomal instability, which promotes inflammatory signaling and migration in UM.
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Cytokine/Chemokine Release Patterns and Transcriptomic Profiles of LPS/IFNγ-Activated Human Macrophages Differentiated with Heat-Killed Mycobacterium obuense, M-CSF, or GM-CSF. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22137214. [PMID: 34281268 PMCID: PMC8268300 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrophages (Mφs) are instrumental regulators of the immune response whereby they acquire diverse functional phenotypes following their exposure to microenvironmental cues that govern their differentiation from monocytes and their activation. The complexity and diversity of the mycobacterial cell wall have empowered mycobacteria with potent immunomodulatory capacities. A heat-killed (HK) whole-cell preparation of Mycobacterium obuense (M. obuense) has shown promise as an adjunctive immunotherapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer. Moreover, HK M. obuense has been shown to trigger the differentiation of human monocytes into a monocyte-derived macrophage (MDM) type named Mob-MDM. However, the transcriptomic profile and functional properties of Mob-MDMs remain undefined during an activation state. Here, we characterized cytokine/chemokine release patterns and transcriptomic profiles of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/interferon γ (IFNγ)-activated human MDMs that were differentiated with HK M. obuense (Mob-MDM(LPS/IFNγ)), macrophage colony-stimulating factor M-MDM(LPS/IFNγ)), or granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-MDM(LPS/IFNγ)). Mob-MDM(LPS/IFNγ) demonstrated a unique cytokine/chemokine release pattern (interleukin (IL)-10low, IL-12/23p40low, IL-23p19/p40low, chemokine (C-x-C) motif ligand (CXCL)9low) that was distinct from those of M-MDM(LPS/IFNγ) and GM-MDM(LPS/IFNγ). Furthermore, M-MDM(LPS/IFNγ) maintained IL-10 production at significantly higher levels compared to GM-MDM(LPS/IFNγ) and Mob-MDM(LPS/IFNγ) despite being activated with M1-Mφ-activating stimuli. Comparative RNA sequencing analysis pointed to a distinct transcriptome profile for Mob-MDM(LPS/IFNγ) relative to both M-MDM(LPS/IFNγ) and GM-MDM(LPS/IFNγ) that comprised 417 transcripts. Functional gene-set enrichment analysis revealed significant overrepresentation of signaling pathways and biological processes that were uniquely related to Mob-MDM(LPS/IFNγ). Our findings lay a foundation for the potential integration of HK M. obuense in specific cell-based immunotherapeutic modalities such as adoptive transfer of Mφs (Mob-MDM(LPS/IFNγ)) for cancer treatment.
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Dehner C, Moon CI, Zhang X, Zhou Z, Miller C, Xu H, Wan X, Yang K, Mashl J, Gosline SJ, Wang Y, Zhang X, Godec A, Jones PA, Dahiya S, Bhatia H, Primeau T, Li S, Pollard K, Rodriguez FJ, Ding L, Pratilas CA, Shern JF, Hirbe AC. Chromosome 8 gain is associated with high-grade transformation in MPNST. JCI Insight 2021; 6:146351. [PMID: 33591953 PMCID: PMC8026192 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.146351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most common malignancies affecting adults with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is the malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), an aggressive and often fatal sarcoma that commonly arises from benign plexiform neurofibromas. Despite advances in our understanding of MPNST pathobiology, there are few effective therapeutic options, and no investigational agents have proven successful in clinical trials. To further understand the genomic heterogeneity of MPNST, and to generate a preclinical platform that encompasses this heterogeneity, we developed a collection of NF1-MPNST patient-derived xenografts (PDX). These PDX were compared with the primary tumors from which they were derived using copy number analysis, whole exome sequencing, and RNA sequencing. We identified chromosome 8 gain as a recurrent genomic event in MPNST and validated its occurrence by FISH in the PDX and parental tumors, in a validation cohort, and by single-cell sequencing in the PDX. Finally, we show that chromosome 8 gain is associated with inferior overall survival in soft-tissue sarcomas. These data suggest that chromosome 8 gain is a critical event in MPNST pathogenesis and may account for the aggressive nature and poor outcomes in this sarcoma subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chang In Moon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Xiyuan Zhang
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Zhaohe Zhou
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Chris Miller
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Hua Xu
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nangchang, China
| | - Xiaodan Wan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nangchang, China
| | - Kuangying Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jay Mashl
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Sara Jc Gosline
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Xiaochun Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Abigail Godec
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Paul A Jones
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Sonika Dahiya
- Department of Pathology and Immunology and.,Siteman Cancer Center Division of Pediatric Oncology, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Himanshi Bhatia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Tina Primeau
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Shunqiang Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Siteman Cancer Center Division of Pediatric Oncology, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Kai Pollard
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Fausto J Rodriguez
- Department of Pathology, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Li Ding
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Siteman Cancer Center Division of Pediatric Oncology, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Christine A Pratilas
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jack F Shern
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Angela C Hirbe
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Siteman Cancer Center Division of Pediatric Oncology, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Zhang Z, Zhang J, Diao L, Han L. Small non-coding RNAs in human cancer: function, clinical utility, and characterization. Oncogene 2021; 40:1570-1577. [PMID: 33452456 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01630-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) play critical roles in multiple regulatory processes, including transcription, post-transcription, and translation. Emerging evidence reveals the critical roles of sncRNAs in cancer development and their potential role as biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets. In this paper, we review recent research on four sncRNA species with functional significance in cancer: small nucleolar RNAs, transfer RNA, small nuclear RNAs, and piwi-interacting RNAs. We introduce their functional roles in tumorigenesis and discuss the potential utility of sncRNAs as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. We further summarize approaches to characterize sncRNAs in a high-throughput manner, including the specific library construction and computational framework. Our review provides a perspective of the functions, clinical utility, and characterization of sncRNAs in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| | - Jian Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Lixia Diao
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| | - Leng Han
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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Videm P, Kumar A, Zharkov O, Grüning BA, Backofen R. ChiRA: an integrated framework for chimeric read analysis from RNA-RNA interactome and RNA structurome data. Gigascience 2021; 10:6123621. [PMID: 33511995 PMCID: PMC7844879 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giaa158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the advances in next-generation sequencing technologies, it is possible to determine RNA-RNA interaction and RNA structure predictions on a genome-wide level. The reads from these experiments usually are chimeric, with each arm generated from one of the interaction partners. Owing to short read lengths, often these sequenced arms ambiguously map to multiple locations. Thus, inferring the origin of these can be quite complicated. Here we present ChiRA, a generic framework for sensitive annotation of these chimeric reads, which in turn can be used to predict the sequenced hybrids. RESULTS Grouping reference loci on the basis of aligned common reads and quantification improved the handling of the multi-mapped reads in contrast to common strategies such as the selection of the longest hit or a random choice among all hits. On benchmark data ChiRA improved the number of correct alignments to the reference up to 3-fold. It is shown that the genes that belong to the common read loci share the same protein families or similar pathways. In published data, ChiRA could detect 3 times more new interactions compared to existing approaches. In addition, ChiRAViz can be used to visualize and filter large chimeric datasets intuitively. CONCLUSION ChiRA tool suite provides a complete analysis and visualization framework along with ready-to-use Galaxy workflows and tutorials for RNA-RNA interactome and structurome datasets. Common read loci built by ChiRA can rescue multi-mapped reads on paralogous genes without requiring any information on gene relations. We showed that ChiRA is sensitive in detecting new RNA-RNA interactions from published RNA-RNA interactome datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavankumar Videm
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 106, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Anup Kumar
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 106, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Oleg Zharkov
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 106, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Björn Andreas Grüning
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 106, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Rolf Backofen
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 106, 79110 Freiburg, Germany.,Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Schaenzlestr. 18, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
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Jang JS, Berg B, Holicky E, Eckloff B, Mutawe M, Carrasquillo MM, Ertekin-Taner N, Cuninngham JM. Comparative evaluation for the globin gene depletion methods for mRNA sequencing using the whole blood-derived total RNAs. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:890. [PMID: 33308163 PMCID: PMC7733259 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07304-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background There are challenges in generating mRNA-Seq data from whole-blood derived RNA as globin gene and rRNA are frequent contaminants. Given the abundance of erythrocytes in whole blood, globin genes comprise some 80% or more of the total RNA. Therefore, depletion of globin gene RNA and rRNA are critical steps required to have adequate coverage of reads mapping to the reference transcripts and thus reduce the total cost of sequencing. In this study, we directly compared the performance of probe hybridization (GLOBINClear Kit and Globin-Zero Gold rRNA Removal Kit) and RNAse-H enzymatic depletion (NEBNext® Globin & rRNA Depletion Kit and Ribo-Zero Plus rRNA Depletion Kit) methods from 1 μg of whole blood-derived RNA on mRNA-Seq profiling. All RNA samples were treated with DNaseI for additional cleanup before the depletion step and were processed for poly-A selection for library generation. Results Probe hybridization revealed a better overall performance than the RNAse-H enzymatic depletion method, detecting a higher number of genes and transcripts without 3′ region bias. After depletion, samples treated with probe hybridization showed globin genes at 0.5% (±0.6%) of the total mapped reads; the RNAse-H enzymatic depletion had 3.2% (±3.8%). Probe hybridization showed more junction reads and transcripts compared with RNAse-H enzymatic depletion and also had a higher correlation (R > 0.9) than RNAse-H enzymatic depletion (R > 0.85). Conclusion In this study, our results showed that 1 μg of high-quality RNA from whole blood could be routinely used for transcriptional profiling analysis studies with globin gene and rRNA depletion pre-processing. We also demonstrated that the probe hybridization depletion method is better suited to mRNA sequencing analysis with minimal effect on RNA quality during depletion procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Sung Jang
- Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. .,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
| | - Brianna Berg
- Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Eileen Holicky
- Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Bruce Eckloff
- Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Mark Mutawe
- Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | - Nilüfer Ertekin-Taner
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.,Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Julie M Cuninngham
- Medical Genome Facility, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. .,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
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Gonsalves WI, Jang JS, Jessen E, Hitosugi T, Evans LA, Jevremovic D, Pettersson XM, Bush AG, Gransee J, Anderson EI, Kumar SK, Nair KS. In vivo assessment of glutamine anaplerosis into the TCA cycle in human pre-malignant and malignant clonal plasma cells. Cancer Metab 2020; 8:29. [PMID: 33308307 PMCID: PMC7731537 DOI: 10.1186/s40170-020-00235-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Overexpression of c-Myc is required for the progression of pre-malignant plasma cells in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to malignant plasma cells in multiple myeloma (MM). c-Myc also increases glutamine anaplerosis into the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle within cancer cells. Whether increased glutamine anaplerosis is associated with the progression of pre-malignant to malignant plasma cells is unknown. Methods Human volunteers (N = 7) and patients with MGUS (N = 11) and MM (N = 12) were prospectively recruited to undergo an intravenous infusion of 13C-labeled glutamine followed by a bone marrow aspiration to obtain bone marrow cells and plasma. Results Despite notable heterogeneity, stable isotope-resolved metabolomics (SIRM) revealed that the mean 13C-labeled glutamine anaplerosis into the TCA cycle was higher in malignant compared to pre-malignant bone marrow plasma cells relative to the remainder of their paired bone marrow mononuclear cells. RNA sequencing demonstrated a higher relative mRNA expression of c-Myc and glutamine transporters such as ASCT2 and SN2 in malignant compared to pre-malignant bone marrow plasma cells. Finally, higher quantitative levels of TCA cycle intermediates in the bone marrow plasma differentiated MM from MGUS patients. Conclusion Measurement of the in vivo activity of glutamine anaplerosis into the TCA cycle provides novel insight into the metabolic changes associated with the transformation of pre-malignant plasma cells in MGUS to malignant plasma cells in MM. Trial registration NCT03384108 and NCT03119883
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilson I Gonsalves
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
| | - Jin Sung Jang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Erik Jessen
- Department of Health Service Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Taro Hitosugi
- Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Laura A Evans
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Dragan Jevremovic
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | | | - Jaimee Gransee
- Mayo Clinic Metabolomics Core, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Emilie I Anderson
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Shaji K Kumar
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
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Wehmas LC, Hester SD, Wood CE. Direct formalin fixation induces widespread transcriptomic effects in archival tissue samples. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14497. [PMID: 32879405 PMCID: PMC7468282 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71521-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sequencing technologies now provide unprecedented access to genomic information in archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. However, little is known about artifacts induced during formalin fixation, which could bias results. Here we evaluated global changes in RNA-sequencing profiles between matched frozen and FFPE samples. RNA-sequencing was performed on liver samples collected from mice treated with a reference chemical (phenobarbital) or vehicle control for 7 days. Each sample was divided into four parts: (1) fresh-frozen, (2) direct-fixed in formalin for 18 h, (3) frozen then formalin-fixed, and (4) frozen then ethanol-fixed and paraffin-embedded (n = 6/group/condition). Direct fixation resulted in 2,946 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) vs. fresh-frozen, 98% of which were down-regulated. Freezing prior to formalin fixation had ≥ 95% fewer DEGs vs. direct fixation, indicating that most formalin-derived transcriptional effects in the liver occurred during fixation. This finding was supported by retrospective studies of paired frozen and FFPE samples, which identified consistent enrichment in oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and transcription initiation pathways with direct fixation. Notably, direct formalin fixation in the parent study did not significantly impact response profiles resulting from chemical exposure. These results advance our understanding of FFPE samples as a resource for genomic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah C Wehmas
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, MD-B105-03, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.
| | - Susan D Hester
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, MD-B105-03, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Charles E Wood
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, MD-B105-03, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.,Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ridgefield, CT, USA
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50
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R269C variant of ESR1: high prevalence and differential function in a subset of pancreatic cancers. BMC Cancer 2020; 20:531. [PMID: 32513126 PMCID: PMC7282172 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07005-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Estrogen receptor α (ESR1) plays a critical role in promoting growth of various cancers. Yet, its role in the development of pancreatic cancer is not well-defined. A less studied region of ESR1 is the hinge region, connecting the ligand binding and DNA domains. rs142712646 is a rare SNP in ESR1, which leads to a substitution of arginine to cysteine at amino acid 269 (R269C). The mutation is positioned in the hinge region of ESR1, hence may affect the receptor structure and function. We aimed to characterize the activity of R269C-ESR1 and study its role in the development of pancreatic cancer. Methods Transcriptional activity was evaluated by E2-response element (ERE) and AP1 –luciferase reporter assays and qRT-PCR. Proliferation and migration were assessed using MTT and wound healing assays. Gene-expression analysis was performed using RNAseq. Results We examined the presence of this SNP in various malignancies, using the entire database of FoundationOne and noted enrichment of it in a subset of pancreatic non-ductal adenocarcinoma (n = 2800) compared to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) as well as other tumor types (0.53% vs 0.29%, p = 0.02). Studies in breast and pancreatic cancer cells indicated cell type-dependent activity of ESR1 harboring R269C. Thus, expression of R269C-ESR1 enhanced proliferation and migration of PANC-1 and COLO-357 pancreatic cancer cells but not of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Moreover, R269C-ESR1 enhanced E2-response elements (ERE) and AP1-dependent transcriptional activity and increased mRNA levels of ERE and AP1-regulated genes in pancreatic cancer cell lines, but had a modest effect on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Accordingly, whole transcriptome analysis indicated alterations of genes associated with tumorigenicity in pancreatic cancer cells and upregulation of genes associated with cell metabolism and hormone biosynthesis in breast cancer cells. Conclusions Our study shed new light on the role of the hinge region in regulating transcriptional activity of the ER and indicates cell-type specific activity, namely increased activity in pancreatic cancer cells but reduced activity in breast cancer cells. While rare, the presence of rs142712646 may serve as a novel genetic risk factor, and a possible target for therapy in a subset of non-ductal pancreatic cancers.
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