1
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Swain S, Narayan RK, Mishra PR. Unraveling the interplay: exploring signaling pathways in pancreatic cancer in the context of pancreatic embryogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1461278. [PMID: 39239563 PMCID: PMC11374643 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1461278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer continues to be a deadly disease because of its delayed diagnosis and aggressive tumor biology. Oncogenes and risk factors are being reported to influence the signaling pathways involved in pancreatic embryogenesis leading to pancreatic cancer genesis. Although studies using rodent models have yielded insightful information, the scarcity of human pancreatic tissue has made it difficult to comprehend how the human pancreas develops. Transcription factors like IPF1/PDX1, HLXB9, PBX1, MEIS, Islet-1, and signaling pathways, including Hedgehog, TGF-β, and Notch, are directing pancreatic organogenesis. Any derangements in the above pathways may lead to pancreatic cancer. TP53: and CDKN2A are tumor suppressor genes, and the mutations in TP53 and somatic loss of CDKN2A are the drivers of pancreatic cancer. This review clarifies the complex signaling mechanism involved in pancreatic cancer, the same signaling pathways in pancreas development, the current therapeutic approach targeting signaling molecules, and the mechanism of action of risk factors in promoting pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sashikanta Swain
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Ravi Kant Narayan
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, India
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2
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Priego Espinosa D, Espinal-Enríquez J, Aldana A, Aldana M, Martínez-Mekler G, Carneiro J, Darszon A. Reviewing mathematical models of sperm signaling networks. Mol Reprod Dev 2024; 91:e23766. [PMID: 39175359 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23766] [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: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Dave Garbers' work significantly contributed to our understanding of sperm's regulated motility, capacitation, and the acrosome reaction. These key sperm functions involve complex multistep signaling pathways engaging numerous finely orchestrated elements. Despite significant progress, many parameters and interactions among these elements remain elusive. Mathematical modeling emerges as a potent tool to study sperm physiology, providing a framework to integrate experimental results and capture functional dynamics considering biochemical, biophysical, and cellular elements. Depending on research objectives, different modeling strategies, broadly categorized into continuous and discrete approaches, reveal valuable insights into cell function. These models allow the exploration of hypotheses regarding molecules, conditions, and pathways, whenever they become challenging to evaluate experimentally. This review presents an overview of current theoretical and experimental efforts to understand sperm motility regulation, capacitation, and the acrosome reaction. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of different modeling strategies and highlight key findings and unresolved questions. Notable discoveries include the importance of specific ion channels, the role of intracellular molecular heterogeneity in capacitation and the acrosome reaction, and the impact of pH changes on acrosomal exocytosis. Ultimately, this review underscores the crucial importance of mathematical frameworks in advancing our understanding of sperm physiology and guiding future experimental investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jesús Espinal-Enríquez
- Computational Genomics Division, National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Andrés Aldana
- Network Science Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maximino Aldana
- Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, México
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Gustavo Martínez-Mekler
- Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, México
- Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Jorge Carneiro
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, México
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3
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Jayathilaka C, Araujo R, Nguyen L, Flegg M. Two wrongs do not make a right: the assumption that an inhibitor acts as an inverse activator. J Math Biol 2024; 89:26. [PMID: 38967811 PMCID: PMC11226533 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-024-02118-4] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Models of biochemical networks are often large intractable sets of differential equations. To make sense of the complexity, relationships between genes/proteins are presented as connected graphs, the edges of which are drawn to indicate activation or inhibition relationships. These diagrams are useful for drawing qualitative conclusions in many cases by the identifying recurring of topological motifs, for example positive and negative feedback loops. These topological features are usually classified under the presumption that activation and inhibition are inverse relationships. For example, inhibition of an inhibitor is often classified the same as activation of an activator within a motif classification, effectively treating them as equivalent. Whilst in many contexts this may not lead to catastrophic errors, drawing conclusions about the behavior of motifs, pathways or networks from these broad classes of topological feature without adequate mathematical descriptions can lead to obverse outcomes. We investigate the extent to which a biochemical pathway/network will behave quantitatively dissimilar to pathway/ networks with similar typologies formed by swapping inhibitors as the inverse of activators. The purpose of the study is to determine under what circumstances rudimentary qualitative assessment of network structure can provide reliable conclusions as to the quantitative behaviour of the network. Whilst there are others, We focus on two main mathematical qualities which may cause a divergence in the behaviour of two pathways/networks which would otherwise be classified as similar; (i) a modelling feature we label 'bias' and (ii) the precise positioning of activators and inhibitors within simple pathways/motifs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robyn Araujo
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS), Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Lan Nguyen
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems (MACSYS), Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Mark Flegg
- Department of Mathematics, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
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4
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Mittal D, Narayanan R. Network motifs in cellular neurophysiology. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:506-521. [PMID: 38806296 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Concepts from network science and graph theory, including the framework of network motifs, have been frequently applied in studying neuronal networks and other biological complex systems. Network-based approaches can also be used to study the functions of individual neurons, where cellular elements such as ion channels and membrane voltage are conceptualized as nodes within a network, and their interactions are denoted by edges. Network motifs in this context provide functional building blocks that help to illuminate the principles of cellular neurophysiology. In this review we build a case that network motifs operating within neurons provide tools for defining the functional architecture of single-neuron physiology and neuronal adaptations. We highlight the presence of such computational motifs in the cellular mechanisms underlying action potential generation, neuronal oscillations, dendritic integration, and neuronal plasticity. Future work applying the network motifs perspective may help to decipher the functional complexities of neurons and their adaptation during health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divyansh Mittal
- Centre for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rishikesh Narayanan
- Cellular Neurophysiology Laboratory, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.
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5
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Zhang P, Jiang Y, Schwab F, Monikh FA, Grillo R, White JC, Guo Z, Lynch I. Strategies for Enhancing Plant Immunity and Resilience Using Nanomaterials for Sustainable Agriculture. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:9051-9060. [PMID: 38742946 PMCID: PMC11137868 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c03522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Research on plant-nanomaterial interactions has greatly advanced over the past decade. One particularly fascinating discovery encompasses the immunomodulatory effects in plants. Due to the low doses needed and the comparatively low toxicity of many nanomaterials, nanoenabled immunomodulation is environmentally and economically promising for agriculture. It may reduce environmental costs associated with excessive use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, which can lead to soil and water pollution. Furthermore, nanoenabled strategies can enhance plant resilience against various biotic and abiotic stresses, contributing to the sustainability of agricultural ecosystems and the reduction of crop losses due to environmental factors. While nanoparticle immunomodulatory effects are relatively well-known in animals, they are still to be understood in plants. Here, we provide our perspective on the general components of the plant's immune system, including the signaling pathways, networks, and molecules of relevance for plant nanomodulation. We discuss the recent scientific progress in nanoenabled immunomodulation and nanopriming and lay out key avenues to use plant immunomodulation for agriculture. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, and the calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK or CPK) pathway are of particular interest due to their interconnected function and significance in the response to biotic and abiotic stress. Additionally, we underscore that understanding the plant hormone salicylic acid is vital for nanoenabled applications to induce systemic acquired resistance. It is suggested that a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating environmental impact assessments and focusing on scalability, can expedite the realization of enhanced crop yields through nanotechnology while fostering a healthier environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- Department
of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yaqi Jiang
- Department
of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Beijing
Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation,
College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Fabienne Schwab
- Adolphe
Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Fazel Abdolahpur Monikh
- Department
of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu-Kuopio 80101, Finland
- Department
of Chemical Sciences, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Renato Grillo
- Department
of Physics and Chemistry, School of Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Ilha Solteira, SP 15385-000, Brazil
| | - Jason C. White
- Department
of Analytical Chemistry, The Connecticut
Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut 06504, United States
| | - Zhiling Guo
- School
of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
| | - Iseult Lynch
- School
of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
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6
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Jose AM. Heritable epigenetic changes are constrained by the dynamics of regulatory architectures. eLife 2024; 12:RP92093. [PMID: 38717010 PMCID: PMC11078544 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Interacting molecules create regulatory architectures that can persist despite turnover of molecules. Although epigenetic changes occur within the context of such architectures, there is limited understanding of how they can influence the heritability of changes. Here, I develop criteria for the heritability of regulatory architectures and use quantitative simulations of interacting regulators parsed as entities, their sensors, and the sensed properties to analyze how architectures influence heritable epigenetic changes. Information contained in regulatory architectures grows rapidly with the number of interacting molecules and its transmission requires positive feedback loops. While these architectures can recover after many epigenetic perturbations, some resulting changes can become permanently heritable. Architectures that are otherwise unstable can become heritable through periodic interactions with external regulators, which suggests that mortal somatic lineages with cells that reproducibly interact with the immortal germ lineage could make a wider variety of architectures heritable. Differential inhibition of the positive feedback loops that transmit regulatory architectures across generations can explain the gene-specific differences in heritable RNA silencing observed in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. More broadly, these results provide a foundation for analyzing the inheritance of epigenetic changes within the context of the regulatory architectures implemented using diverse molecules in different living systems.
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7
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Vashishat A, Patel P, Das Gupta G, Das Kurmi B. Alternatives of Animal Models for Biomedical Research: a Comprehensive Review of Modern Approaches. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2024; 20:881-899. [PMID: 38429620 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-024-10701-x] [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] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Biomedical research has long relied on animal models to unravel the intricacies of human physiology and pathology. However, concerns surrounding ethics, expenses, and inherent species differences have catalyzed the exploration of alternative avenues. The contemporary alternatives to traditional animal models in biomedical research delve into three main categories of alternative approaches: in vitro models, in vertebrate models, and in silico models. This unique approach to artificial intelligence and machine learning has been a keen interest to be used in different biomedical research. The main goal of this review is to serve as a guide to researchers seeking novel avenues for their investigations and underscores the importance of considering alternative models in the pursuit of scientific knowledge and medical breakthroughs, including showcasing the broad spectrum of modern approaches that are revolutionizing biomedical research and leading the way toward a more ethical, efficient, and innovative future. Models can insight into cellular processes, developmental biology, drug interaction, assessing toxicology, and understanding molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhinav Vashishat
- Department of Pharmaceutics, ISF College of Pharmacy, GT Road, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India
| | - Preeti Patel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, ISF College Pharmacy, GT Road, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India.
| | - Ghanshyam Das Gupta
- Department of Pharmaceutics, ISF College of Pharmacy, GT Road, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India
| | - Balak Das Kurmi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, ISF College of Pharmacy, GT Road, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India.
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8
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Chang X, Yan S, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Li L, Gao Z, Lin X, Chi X. GINv2.0: a comprehensive topological network integrating molecular interactions from multiple knowledge bases. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:4. [PMID: 38218959 PMCID: PMC10787761 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00330-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Knowledge bases have been instrumental in advancing biological research, facilitating pathway analysis and data visualization, which are now widely employed in the scientific community. Despite the establishment of several prominent knowledge bases focusing on signaling, metabolic networks, or both, integrating these networks into a unified topological network has proven to be challenging. The intricacy of molecular interactions and the diverse formats employed to store and display them contribute to the complexity of this task. In a prior study, we addressed this challenge by introducing a "meta-pathway" structure that integrated the advantages of the Simple Interaction Format (SIF) while accommodating reaction information. Nevertheless, the earlier Global Integrative Network (GIN) was limited to reliance on KEGG alone. Here, we present GIN version 2.0, which incorporates human molecular interaction data from ten distinct knowledge bases, including KEGG, Reactome, and HumanCyc, among others. We standardized the data structure, gene IDs, and chemical IDs, and conducted a comprehensive analysis of the consistency among the ten knowledge bases before combining all unified interactions into GINv2.0. Utilizing GINv2.0, we investigated the glycolysis process and its regulatory proteins, revealing coordinated regulations on glycolysis and autophagy, particularly under glucose starvation. The expanded scope and enhanced capabilities of GINv2.0 provide a valuable resource for comprehensive systems-level analyses in the field of biological research. GINv2.0 can be accessed at: https://github.com/BIGchix/GINv2.0 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Chang
- Department of Dermatology and Venereal Disease, Xuan Wu Hospital, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Shen Yan
- Agricultural Information Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yizheng Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yingchun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Luyang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhanyu Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xuefei Lin
- Department of Dermatology and Venereal Disease, Xuan Wu Hospital, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Xu Chi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101, China.
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9
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Jose AM. Heritable epigenetic changes are constrained by the dynamics of regulatory architectures. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.07.544138. [PMID: 37333369 PMCID: PMC10274868 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.07.544138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Interacting molecules create regulatory architectures that can persist despite turnover of molecules. Although epigenetic changes occur within the context of such architectures, there is limited understanding of how they can influence the heritability of changes. Here I develop criteria for the heritability of regulatory architectures and use quantitative simulations of interacting regulators parsed as entities, their sensors and the sensed properties to analyze how architectures influence heritable epigenetic changes. Information contained in regulatory architectures grows rapidly with the number of interacting molecules and its transmission requires positive feedback loops. While these architectures can recover after many epigenetic perturbations, some resulting changes can become permanently heritable. Such stable changes can (1) alter steady-state levels while preserving the architecture, (2) induce different architectures that persist for many generations, or (3) collapse the entire architecture. Architectures that are otherwise unstable can become heritable through periodic interactions with external regulators, which suggests that the evolution of mortal somatic lineages with cells that reproducibly interact with the immortal germ lineage could make a wider variety of regulatory architectures heritable. Differential inhibition of the positive feedback loops that transmit regulatory architectures across generations can explain the gene-specific differences in heritable RNA silencing observed in the nematode C. elegans, which range from permanent silencing to recovery from silencing within a few generations and subsequent resistance to silencing. More broadly, these results provide a foundation for analyzing the inheritance of epigenetic changes within the context of the regulatory architectures implemented using diverse molecules in different living systems.
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10
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Ballesta A, Gallo JM. Quantitative Systems Pharmacology: A Foundation To Establish Precision Medicine-Editorial. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2023; 387:27-30. [PMID: 37714689 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.123.001842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Annabelle Ballesta
- INSERM U900, Institut Curie, Mines ParisTech CBIO, Université PSL, Paris, France (A.B.) and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (J.M.G.)
| | - James M Gallo
- INSERM U900, Institut Curie, Mines ParisTech CBIO, Université PSL, Paris, France (A.B.) and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York (J.M.G.)
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11
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Bacher S, Schmitz ML. Understanding and Therapeutic Targeting of the p53 Network. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4461. [PMID: 37760430 PMCID: PMC10527094 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Signaling networks function as highly intertwined regulatory hubs rather than linear cascades with a single endpoint [...].
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M. Lienhard Schmitz
- Institute of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Justus-Liebig-University, Friedrichstrasse 24, 35392 Giessen, Germany;
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12
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Hakobyan S, Stepanyan A, Nersisyan L, Binder H, Arakelyan A. PSF toolkit: an R package for pathway curation and topology-aware analysis. Front Genet 2023; 14:1264656. [PMID: 37680201 PMCID: PMC10482229 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1264656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Most high throughput genomic data analysis pipelines currently rely on over-representation or gene set enrichment analysis (ORA/GSEA) approaches for functional analysis. In contrast, topology-based pathway analysis methods, which offer a more biologically informed perspective by incorporating interaction and topology information, have remained underutilized and inaccessible due to various limiting factors. These methods heavily rely on the quality of pathway topologies and often utilize predefined topologies from databases without assessing their correctness. To address these issues and make topology-aware pathway analysis more accessible and flexible, we introduce the PSF (Pathway Signal Flow) toolkit R package. Our toolkit integrates pathway curation and topology-based analysis, providing interactive and command-line tools that facilitate pathway importation, correction, and modification from diverse sources. This enables users to perform topology-based pathway signal flow analysis in both interactive and command-line modes. To showcase the toolkit's usability, we curated 36 KEGG signaling pathways and conducted several use-case studies, comparing our method with ORA and the topology-based signaling pathway impact analysis (SPIA) method. The results demonstrate that the algorithm can effectively identify ORA enriched pathways while providing more detailed branch-level information. Moreover, in contrast to the SPIA method, it offers the advantage of being cut-off free and less susceptible to the variability caused by selection thresholds. By combining pathway curation and topology-based analysis, the PSF toolkit enhances the quality, flexibility, and accessibility of topology-aware pathway analysis. Researchers can now easily import pathways from various sources, correct and modify them as needed, and perform detailed topology-based pathway signal flow analysis. In summary, our PSF toolkit offers an integrated solution that addresses the limitations of current topology-based pathway analysis methods. By providing interactive and command-line tools for pathway curation and topology-based analysis, we empower researchers to conduct comprehensive pathway analyses across a wide range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siras Hakobyan
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biology, Armenian National Academy of Sciences, Yerevan, Armenia
- Armenian Bioinformatics Institute (ABI), Yerevan, Armenia
| | | | | | - Hans Binder
- Armenian Bioinformatics Institute, Yerevan, Armenia
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arsen Arakelyan
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biology, Armenian National Academy of Sciences, Yerevan, Armenia
- Russian-Armenian University, Yerevan, Armenia
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13
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Feigin C, Li S, Moreno J, Mallarino R. The GRN concept as a guide for evolutionary developmental biology. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART B, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2023; 340:92-104. [PMID: 35344632 PMCID: PMC9515236 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.23132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Organismal phenotypes result largely from inherited developmental programs, usually executed during embryonic and juvenile life stages. These programs are not blank slates onto which natural selection can draw arbitrary forms. Rather, the mechanisms of development play an integral role in shaping phenotypic diversity and help determine the evolutionary trajectories of species. Modern evolutionary biology must, therefore, account for these mechanisms in both theory and in practice. The gene regulatory network (GRN) concept represents a potent tool for achieving this goal whose utility has grown in tandem with advances in "omic" technologies and experimental techniques. However, while the GRN concept is widely utilized, it is often less clear what practical implications it has for conducting research in evolutionary developmental biology. In this Perspective, we attempt to provide clarity by discussing how experiments and projects can be designed in light of the GRN concept. We first map familiar biological notions onto the more abstract components of GRN models. We then review how diverse functional genomic approaches can be directed toward the goal of constructing such models and discuss current methods for functionally testing evolutionary hypotheses that arise from them. Finally, we show how the major steps of GRN model construction and experimental validation suggest generalizable workflows that can serve as a scaffold for project design. Taken together, the practical implications that we draw from the GRN concept provide a set of guideposts for studies aiming at unraveling the molecular basis of phenotypic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Feigin
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA,School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sha Li
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jorge Moreno
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ricardo Mallarino
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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14
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Szegvari G, Dora D, Lohinai Z. Effective Reversal of Macrophage Polarization by Inhibitory Combinations Predicted by a Boolean Protein–Protein Interaction Model. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030376. [PMID: 36979068 PMCID: PMC10045914 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Background: The function and polarization of macrophages has a significant impact on the outcome of many diseases. Targeting tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) is among the greatest challenges to solve because of the low in vitro reproducibility of the heterogeneous tumor microenvironment (TME). To create a more comprehensive model and to understand the inner workings of the macrophage and its dependence on extracellular signals driving polarization, we propose an in silico approach. Methods: A Boolean control network was built based on systematic manual curation of the scientific literature to model the early response events of macrophages by connecting extracellular signals (input) with gene transcription (output). The network consists of 106 nodes, classified as 9 input, 75 inner and 22 output nodes, that are connected by 217 edges. The direction and polarity of edges were manually verified and only included in the model if the literature plainly supported these parameters. Single or combinatory inhibitions were simulated mimicking therapeutic interventions, and output patterns were analyzed to interpret changes in polarization and cell function. Results: We show that inhibiting a single target is inadequate to modify an established polarization, and that in combination therapy, inhibiting numerous targets with individually small effects is frequently required. Our findings show the importance of JAK1, JAK3 and STAT6, and to a lesser extent STK4, Sp1 and Tyk2, in establishing an M1-like pro-inflammatory polarization, and NFAT5 in creating an anti-inflammatory M2-like phenotype. Conclusions: Here, we demonstrate a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network modeling the intracellular signalization driving macrophage polarization, offering the possibility of therapeutic repolarization and demonstrating evidence for multi-target methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabor Szegvari
- Translational Medicine Institute, Semmelweis University, 1094 Budapest, Hungary
| | - David Dora
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, 1094 Budapest, Hungary
- Correspondence: (D.D.); (Z.L.); Tel.: +36-1-2156920 (D.D.)
| | - Zoltan Lohinai
- Translational Medicine Institute, Semmelweis University, 1094 Budapest, Hungary
- Pulmonary Hospital Torokbalint, 2045 Torokbalint, Hungary
- Correspondence: (D.D.); (Z.L.); Tel.: +36-1-2156920 (D.D.)
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15
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Sihorwala AZ, Lin AJ, Stachowiak JC, Belardi B. Light-Activated Assembly of Connexon Nanopores in Synthetic Cells. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:3561-3568. [PMID: 36724060 PMCID: PMC10188233 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
During developmental processes and wound healing, activation of living cells occurs with spatiotemporal precision and leads to rapid release of soluble molecular signals, allowing communication and coordination between neighbors. Nonliving systems capable of similar responsive release hold great promise for information transfer in materials and site-specific drug delivery. One nonliving system that offers a tunable platform for programming release is synthetic cells. Encased in a lipid bilayer structure, synthetic cells can be outfitted with molecular conduits that span the bilayer and lead to material exchange. While previous work expressing membrane pore proteins in synthetic cells demonstrated content exchange, user-defined control over release has remained elusive. In mammalian cells, connexon nanopore structures drive content release and have garnered significant interest since they can direct material exchange through intercellular contacts. Here, we focus on connexon nanopores and present activated release of material from synthetic cells in a light-sensitive fashion. To do this, we re-engineer connexon nanopores to assemble after post-translational processing by a protease. By encapsulating proteases in light-sensitive liposomes, we show that assembly of nanopores can be triggered by illumination, resulting in rapid release of molecules encapsulated within synthetic cells. Controlling connexon nanopore activity provides an opportunity for initiating communication with extracellular signals and for transferring molecular agents to the cytoplasm of living cells in a rapid, light-guided manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Z Sihorwala
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Alexander J Lin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Jeanne C Stachowiak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Brian Belardi
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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16
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Ullo MF, Case LB. How cells sense and integrate information from different sources. WIREs Mech Dis 2023:e1604. [PMID: 36781396 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Cell signaling is a fundamental cellular process that enables cells to sense and respond to information in their surroundings. At the molecular level, signaling is primarily carried out by transmembrane protein receptors that can initiate complex downstream signal transduction cascades to alter cellular behavior. In the human body, different cells can be exposed to a wide variety of environmental conditions, and cells express diverse classes of receptors capable of sensing and integrating different signals. Furthermore, different receptors and signaling pathways can crosstalk with each other to calibrate the cellular response. Crosstalk occurs through multiple mechanisms at different levels of signaling pathways. In this review, we discuss how cells sense and integrate different chemical, mechanical, and spatial signals as well as the mechanisms of crosstalk between pathways. To illustrate these concepts, we use a few well-studied signaling pathways, including receptor tyrosine kinases and integrin receptors. Finally, we discuss the implications of dysregulated cellular sensing on driving diseases such as cancer. This article is categorized under: Cancer > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Metabolic Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria F Ullo
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lindsay B Case
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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17
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Khalilimeybodi A, Fraley S, Rangamani P. Mechanisms underlying divergent relationships between Ca 2+ and YAP/TAZ signalling. J Physiol 2023; 601:483-515. [PMID: 36463416 PMCID: PMC10986318 DOI: 10.1113/jp283966] [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: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Yes-associated protein (YAP) and its homologue TAZ are transducers of several biochemical and biomechanical signals, integrating multiplexed inputs from the microenvironment into higher level cellular functions such as proliferation, differentiation and migration. Emerging evidence suggests that Ca2+ is a key second messenger that connects microenvironmental input signals and YAP/TAZ regulation. However, studies that directly modulate Ca2+ have reported contradictory YAP/TAZ responses: in some studies, a reduction in Ca2+ influx increases the activity of YAP/TAZ, while in others, an increase in Ca2+ influx activates YAP/TAZ. Importantly, Ca2+ and YAP/TAZ exhibit distinct spatiotemporal dynamics, making it difficult to unravel their connections from a purely experimental approach. In this study, we developed a network model of Ca2+ -mediated YAP/TAZ signalling to investigate how temporal dynamics and crosstalk of signalling pathways interacting with Ca2+ can alter the YAP/TAZ response, as observed in experiments. By including six signalling modules (e.g. GPCR, IP3-Ca2+ , kinases, RhoA, F-actin and Hippo-YAP/TAZ) that interact with Ca2+ , we investigated both transient and steady-state cell response to angiotensin II and thapsigargin stimuli. The model predicts that stimuli, Ca2+ transients and frequency-dependent relationships between Ca2+ and YAP/TAZ are primarily mediated by cPKC, DAG, CaMKII and F-actin. Simulation results illustrate the role of Ca2+ dynamics and CaMKII bistable response in switching the direction of changes in Ca2+ -induced YAP/TAZ activity. A frequency-dependent YAP/TAZ response revealed the competition between upstream regulators of LATS1/2, leading to the YAP/TAZ non-monotonic response to periodic GPCR stimulation. This study provides new insights into underlying mechanisms responsible for the controversial Ca2+ -YAP/TAZ relationship observed in experiments. KEY POINTS: YAP/TAZ integrates biochemical and biomechanical inputs to regulate cellular functions, and Ca2+ acts as a key second messenger linking cellular inputs to YAP/TAZ. Studies have reported contradictory Ca2+ -YAP/TAZ relationships for different cell types and stimuli. A network model of Ca2+ -mediated YAP/TAZ signalling was developed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of divergent Ca2+ -YAP/TAZ relationships. The model predicts context-dependent Ca2+ transient, CaMKII bistable response and frequency-dependent activation of LATS1/2 upstream regulators as mechanisms governing the Ca2+ -YAP/TAZ relationship. This study provides new insights into the underlying mechanisms of the controversial Ca2+ -YAP/TAZ relationship to better understand the dynamics of cellular functions controlled by YAP/TAZ activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Khalilimeybodi
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA 92093
| | - S.I. Fraley
- Department of Bioengineering, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA 92093
| | - P. Rangamani
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla CA 92093
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18
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Dynamic regulation of RAS and RAS signaling. Biochem J 2023; 480:1-23. [PMID: 36607281 PMCID: PMC9988006 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20220234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
RAS proteins regulate most aspects of cellular physiology. They are mutated in 30% of human cancers and 4% of developmental disorders termed Rasopathies. They cycle between active GTP-bound and inactive GDP-bound states. When active, they can interact with a wide range of effectors that control fundamental biochemical and biological processes. Emerging evidence suggests that RAS proteins are not simple on/off switches but sophisticated information processing devices that compute cell fate decisions by integrating external and internal cues. A critical component of this compute function is the dynamic regulation of RAS activation and downstream signaling that allows RAS to produce a rich and nuanced spectrum of biological outputs. We discuss recent findings how the dynamics of RAS and its downstream signaling is regulated. Starting from the structural and biochemical properties of wild-type and mutant RAS proteins and their activation cycle, we examine higher molecular assemblies, effector interactions and downstream signaling outputs, all under the aspect of dynamic regulation. We also consider how computational and mathematical modeling approaches contribute to analyze and understand the pleiotropic functions of RAS in health and disease.
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19
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Afrin T, Costello CN, Monella AN, Kørner CJ, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM. The interplay of GTP-binding protein AGB1 with ER stress sensors IRE1a and IRE1b modulates Arabidopsis unfolded protein response and bacterial immunity. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2022; 17:2018857. [PMID: 34968413 PMCID: PMC8920210 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2021.2018857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In eukaryotic cells, the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) results in ER stress that induces a cascade of reactions called the unfolded protein response (UPR). In Arabidopsis, the most conserved UPR sensor, Inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1), responds to both abiotic- and biotic-induced ER stress. Guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins) constitute another universal and conserved family of signal transducers that have been extensively investigated due to their ubiquitous presence and diverse nature of action. Arabidopsis GTP-binding protein β1 (AGB1) is the only G-protein β-subunit encoded by the Arabidopsis genome that is involved in numerous signaling pathways. Mounting evidence suggests the existence of a crosstalk between IRE1 and G protein signaling during ER stress. AGB1 has previously been shown to control a distinct UPR pathway independently of IRE1 when treated with an ER stress inducer tunicamycin. Our results obtained with combinatorial knockout mutants support the hypothesis that both IRE1 and AGB1 synergistically contribute to ER stress responses chemically induced by dithiothreitol (DTT) as well as to the immune responses against a phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato strain DC3000. Our study highlights the crosstalk between the plant UPR transducers under abiotic and biotic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiaba Afrin
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1300 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Caitlin N. Costello
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1300 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Amber N. Monella
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1300 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Camilla J. Kørner
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1300 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL, USA
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20
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Pouliquen DL, Malloci M, Boissard A, Henry C, Guette C. Proteomes of Residual Tumors in Curcumin-Treated Rats Reveal Changes in Microenvironment/Malignant Cell Crosstalk in a Highly Invasive Model of Mesothelioma. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213732. [PMID: 36430209 PMCID: PMC9691155 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Curcumin exhibits both immunomodulatory properties and anticarcinogenic effects which have been investigated in different experimental tumor models and cancer types. Its interactions with multiple signaling pathways have been documented through proteomic studies on malignant cells in culture; however, in vivo approaches are scarce. In this study, we used a rat model of highly invasive peritoneal mesothelioma to analyze the residual tumor proteomes of curcumin-treated rats in comparison with untreated tumor-bearing rats (G1) and provide insights into the modifications in the tumor microenvironment/malignant cell crosstalk. The cross-comparing analyses of the histological sections of residual tumors from two groups of rats given curcumin twice on days 21 and 26 after the tumor challenge (G2) or four times on days 7, 9, 11 and 14 (G3), in comparison with G1, identified a common increase in caveolin-1 which linked with significant abundance changes affecting 115 other proteins. The comparison of G3 vs. G2 revealed additional features for 65 main proteins, including an increase in histidine-rich glycoprotein and highly significant abundance changes for 22 other proteins regulating the tumor microenvironment, linked with the presence of numerous activated T cells. These results highlight new features in the multiple actions of curcumin on tumor microenvironment components and cancer cell invasiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L. Pouliquen
- Université d’Angers, Inserm, CNRS, Nantes Université, CRCI2NA, F-49000 Angers, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-2-41352854
| | - Marine Malloci
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, CNRS, Inserm, BioCore, US16, SFR Bonamy, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Alice Boissard
- Université d’Angers, ICO, Inserm, CNRS, Nantes Université, CRCI2NA, F-49000 Angers, France
| | - Cécile Henry
- Université d’Angers, ICO, Inserm, CNRS, Nantes Université, CRCI2NA, F-49000 Angers, France
| | - Catherine Guette
- Université d’Angers, ICO, Inserm, CNRS, Nantes Université, CRCI2NA, F-49000 Angers, France
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21
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Gao F, Li C, Smith SM, Peinado N, Kohbodi G, Tran E, Loh YHE, Li W, Borok Z, Minoo P. Decoding the IGF1 signaling gene regulatory network behind alveologenesis from a mouse model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. eLife 2022; 11:e77522. [PMID: 36214448 PMCID: PMC9581530 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77522] [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: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung development is precisely controlled by underlying gene regulatory networks (GRN). Disruption of genes in the network can interrupt normal development and cause diseases such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) - a chronic lung disease in preterm infants with morbid and sometimes lethal consequences characterized by lung immaturity and reduced alveolarization. Here, we generated a transgenic mouse exhibiting a moderate severity BPD phenotype by blocking IGF1 signaling in secondary crest myofibroblasts (SCMF) at the onset of alveologenesis. Using approaches mirroring the construction of the model GRN in sea urchin's development, we constructed the IGF1 signaling network underlying alveologenesis using this mouse model that phenocopies BPD. The constructed GRN, consisting of 43 genes, provides a bird's eye view of how the genes downstream of IGF1 are regulatorily connected. The GRN also reveals a mechanistic interpretation of how the effects of IGF1 signaling are transduced within SCMF from its specification genes to its effector genes and then from SCMF to its neighboring alveolar epithelial cells with WNT5A and FGF10 signaling as the bridge. Consistently, blocking WNT5A signaling in mice phenocopies BPD as inferred by the network. A comparative study on human samples suggests that a GRN of similar components and wiring underlies human BPD. Our network view of alveologenesis is transforming our perspective to understand and treat BPD. This new perspective calls for the construction of the full signaling GRN underlying alveologenesis, upon which targeted therapies for this neonatal chronic lung disease can be viably developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Gao
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Changgong Li
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Susan M Smith
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Neil Peinado
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Golenaz Kohbodi
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Evelyn Tran
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Yong-Hwee Eddie Loh
- Norris Medical Library, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Nephrology, Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese MedicineNanjingChina
| | - Zea Borok
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San DiegoSan DiegoUnited States
| | - Parviz Minoo
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
- Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
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22
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Chaudhuri S, Srivastava A. Network approach to understand biological systems: From single to multilayer networks. J Biosci 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-022-00285-4] [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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23
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Wang X, Almet AA, Nie Q. Analyzing network diversity of cell–cell interactions in COVID-19 using single-cell transcriptomics. Front Genet 2022; 13:948508. [PMID: 36105110 PMCID: PMC9465179 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.948508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell–cell interactions (CCI) play significant roles in manipulating biological functions of cells. Analyzing the differences in CCI between healthy and diseased conditions of a biological system yields greater insight than analyzing either conditions alone. There has been a recent and rapid growth of methods to infer CCI from single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), revealing complex CCI networks at a previously inaccessible scale. However, the majority of current CCI analyses from scRNA-seq data focus on direct comparisons between individual CCI networks of individual samples from patients, rather than “group-level” comparisons between sample groups of patients comprising different conditions. To illustrate new biological features among different disease statuses, we investigated the diversity of key network features on groups of CCI networks, as defined by different disease statuses. We considered three levels of network features: node level, as defined by cell type; node-to-node level; and network level. By applying these analysis to a large-scale single-cell RNA-sequencing dataset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we observe biologically meaningful patterns aligned with the progression and subsequent convalescence of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Wang
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Axel A. Almet
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- The NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Axel A. Almet , ; Qing Nie,
| | - Qing Nie
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- The NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Axel A. Almet , ; Qing Nie,
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24
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Differential roles and regulation of the protein kinases PAK4, PAK5 and PAK6 in melanoma cells. Biochem J 2022; 479:1709-1725. [PMID: 35969127 PMCID: PMC9444074 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20220184] [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: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The protein kinases PAK4, PAK5 and PAK6 comprise a family of ohnologues. In multiple cancers including melanomas PAK5 most frequently carries non-synonymous mutations; PAK6 and PAK4 have fewer; and PAK4 is often amplified. To help interpret these genomic data, initially we compared the cellular regulation of the sister kinases and their roles in melanoma cells. In common with many ohnologue protein kinases, PAK4, PAK5 and PAK6 each have two 14-3-3-binding phosphosites of which phosphoSer99 is conserved. PAK4 localises to the leading edge of cells in response to phorbol ester-stimulated binding of 14-3-3 to phosphoSer99 and phosphoSer181, which are phosphorylated by two different PKCs or PKDs. These phosphorylations of PAK4 are essential for its phorbol ester-stimulated phosphorylation of downstream substrates. In contrast, 14-3-3 interacts with PAK5 in response to phorbol ester-stimulated phosphorylation of Ser99 and epidermal growth factor-stimulated phosphorylation of Ser288; whereas PAK6 docks onto 14-3-3 and is prevented from localising to cell–cell junctions when Ser133 is phosphorylated in response to cAMP-elevating agents via PKA and insulin-like growth factor 1 via PKB/Akt. Silencing of PAK4 impairs viability, migration and invasive behaviour of melanoma cells carrying BRAFV600E or NRASQ61K mutations. These defects are rescued by ectopic expression of PAK4, more so by a 14-3-3-binding deficient PAK4, and barely by PAK5 or PAK6. Together these genomic, biochemical and cellular data suggest that the oncogenic properties of PAK4 are regulated by PKC–PKD signalling in melanoma, while PAK5 and PAK6 are dispensable in this cancer.
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25
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Maltz E, Wollman R. Quantifying the phenotypic information in mRNA abundance. Mol Syst Biol 2022; 18:e11001. [PMID: 35965452 PMCID: PMC9376724 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202211001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying the dependency between mRNA abundance and downstream cellular phenotypes is a fundamental open problem in biology. Advances in multimodal single-cell measurement technologies provide an opportunity to apply new computational frameworks to dissect the contribution of individual genes and gene combinations to a given phenotype. Using an information theory approach, we analyzed multimodal data of the expression of 83 genes in the Ca2+ signaling network and the dynamic Ca2+ response in the same cell. We found that the overall expression levels of these 83 genes explain approximately 60% of Ca2+ signal entropy. The average contribution of each single gene was 17%, revealing a large degree of redundancy between genes. Using different heuristics, we estimated the dependency between the size of a gene set and its information content, revealing that on average, a set of 53 genes contains 54% of the information about Ca2+ signaling. Our results provide the first direct quantification of information content about complex cellular phenotype that exists in mRNA abundance measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Maltz
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUCLALos AngelesCAUSA
- Institute of Quantitative and Computational BioscienceUCLALos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Roy Wollman
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUCLALos AngelesCAUSA
- Institute of Quantitative and Computational BioscienceUCLALos AngelesCAUSA
- Department of Integrative Biology and PhysiologyUCLALos AngelesCAUSA
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26
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Coggan JS, Keller D, Markram H, Schürmann F, Magistretti PJ. Representing Stimulus Information in an Energy Metabolism Pathway. J Theor Biol 2022; 540:111090. [PMID: 35271865 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
We explored a computational model of astrocytic energy metabolism and demonstrated the theoretical plausibility that this type of pathway might be capable of coding information about stimuli in addition to its known functions in cellular energy and carbon budgets. Simulation results indicate that glycogenolytic glycolysis triggered by activation of adrenergic receptors can capture the intensity and duration features of a neuromodulator waveform and can respond in a dose-dependent manner, including non-linear state changes that are analogous to action potentials. We show how this metabolic pathway can translate information about external stimuli to production profiles of energy-carrying molecules such as lactate with a precision beyond simple signal transduction or non-linear amplification. The results suggest the operation of a metabolic state-machine from the spatially discontiguous yet interdependent metabolite elements. Such metabolic pathways might be well-positioned to code an additional level of salient information about a cell's environmental demands to impact its function. Our hypothesis has implications for the computational power and energy efficiency of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay S Coggan
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, CH-1202, Switzerland.
| | - Daniel Keller
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, CH-1202, Switzerland
| | - Henry Markram
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, CH-1202, Switzerland
| | - Felix Schürmann
- Blue Brain Project, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Geneva, CH-1202, Switzerland
| | - Pierre J Magistretti
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
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27
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Leysen H, Walter D, Christiaenssen B, Vandoren R, Harputluoğlu İ, Van Loon N, Maudsley S. GPCRs Are Optimal Regulators of Complex Biological Systems and Orchestrate the Interface between Health and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413387. [PMID: 34948182 PMCID: PMC8708147 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
GPCRs arguably represent the most effective current therapeutic targets for a plethora of diseases. GPCRs also possess a pivotal role in the regulation of the physiological balance between healthy and pathological conditions; thus, their importance in systems biology cannot be underestimated. The molecular diversity of GPCR signaling systems is likely to be closely associated with disease-associated changes in organismal tissue complexity and compartmentalization, thus enabling a nuanced GPCR-based capacity to interdict multiple disease pathomechanisms at a systemic level. GPCRs have been long considered as controllers of communication between tissues and cells. This communication involves the ligand-mediated control of cell surface receptors that then direct their stimuli to impact cell physiology. Given the tremendous success of GPCRs as therapeutic targets, considerable focus has been placed on the ability of these therapeutics to modulate diseases by acting at cell surface receptors. In the past decade, however, attention has focused upon how stable multiprotein GPCR superstructures, termed receptorsomes, both at the cell surface membrane and in the intracellular domain dictate and condition long-term GPCR activities associated with the regulation of protein expression patterns, cellular stress responses and DNA integrity management. The ability of these receptorsomes (often in the absence of typical cell surface ligands) to control complex cellular activities implicates them as key controllers of the functional balance between health and disease. A greater understanding of this function of GPCRs is likely to significantly augment our ability to further employ these proteins in a multitude of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne Leysen
- Receptor Biology Lab, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (H.L.); (D.W.); (B.C.); (R.V.); (İ.H.); (N.V.L.)
| | - Deborah Walter
- Receptor Biology Lab, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (H.L.); (D.W.); (B.C.); (R.V.); (İ.H.); (N.V.L.)
| | - Bregje Christiaenssen
- Receptor Biology Lab, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (H.L.); (D.W.); (B.C.); (R.V.); (İ.H.); (N.V.L.)
| | - Romi Vandoren
- Receptor Biology Lab, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (H.L.); (D.W.); (B.C.); (R.V.); (İ.H.); (N.V.L.)
| | - İrem Harputluoğlu
- Receptor Biology Lab, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (H.L.); (D.W.); (B.C.); (R.V.); (İ.H.); (N.V.L.)
- Department of Chemistry, Middle East Technical University, Çankaya, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Nore Van Loon
- Receptor Biology Lab, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (H.L.); (D.W.); (B.C.); (R.V.); (İ.H.); (N.V.L.)
| | - Stuart Maudsley
- Receptor Biology Lab, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (H.L.); (D.W.); (B.C.); (R.V.); (İ.H.); (N.V.L.)
- Correspondence:
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28
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Kourosh-Arami M, Hosseini N, Komaki A. Brain is modulated by neuronal plasticity during postnatal development. J Physiol Sci 2021; 71:34. [PMID: 34789147 PMCID: PMC10716960 DOI: 10.1186/s12576-021-00819-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Neuroplasticity is referred to the ability of the nervous system to change its structure or functions as a result of former stimuli. It is a plausible mechanism underlying a dynamic brain through adaptation processes of neural structure and activity patterns. Nevertheless, it is still unclear how the plastic neural systems achieve and maintain their equilibrium. Additionally, the alterations of balanced brain dynamics under different plasticity rules have not been explored either. Therefore, the present article primarily aims to review recent research studies regarding homosynaptic and heterosynaptic neuroplasticity characterized by the manipulation of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs. Moreover, it attempts to understand different mechanisms related to the main forms of synaptic plasticity at the excitatory and inhibitory synapses during the brain development processes. Hence, this study comprised surveying those articles published since 1988 and available through PubMed, Google Scholar and science direct databases on a keyword-based search paradigm. All in all, the study results presented extensive and corroborative pieces of evidence for the main types of plasticity, including the long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) of the excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs and IPSPs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoumeh Kourosh-Arami
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Nasrin Hosseini
- Neuroscience Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Alireza Komaki
- Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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Timsit Y, Grégoire SP. Towards the Idea of Molecular Brains. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111868. [PMID: 34769300 PMCID: PMC8584932 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
How can single cells without nervous systems perform complex behaviours such as habituation, associative learning and decision making, which are considered the hallmark of animals with a brain? Are there molecular systems that underlie cognitive properties equivalent to those of the brain? This review follows the development of the idea of molecular brains from Darwin’s “root brain hypothesis”, through bacterial chemotaxis, to the recent discovery of neuron-like r-protein networks in the ribosome. By combining a structural biology view with a Bayesian brain approach, this review explores the evolutionary labyrinth of information processing systems across scales. Ribosomal protein networks open a window into what were probably the earliest signalling systems to emerge before the radiation of the three kingdoms. While ribosomal networks are characterised by long-lasting interactions between their protein nodes, cell signalling networks are essentially based on transient interactions. As a corollary, while signals propagated in persistent networks may be ephemeral, networks whose interactions are transient constrain signals diffusing into the cytoplasm to be durable in time, such as post-translational modifications of proteins or second messenger synthesis. The duration and nature of the signals, in turn, implies different mechanisms for the integration of multiple signals and decision making. Evolution then reinvented networks with persistent interactions with the development of nervous systems in metazoans. Ribosomal protein networks and simple nervous systems display architectural and functional analogies whose comparison could suggest scale invariance in information processing. At the molecular level, the significant complexification of eukaryotic ribosomal protein networks is associated with a burst in the acquisition of new conserved aromatic amino acids. Knowing that aromatic residues play a critical role in allosteric receptors and channels, this observation suggests a general role of π systems and their interactions with charged amino acids in multiple signal integration and information processing. We think that these findings may provide the molecular basis for designing future computers with organic processors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youri Timsit
- Aix Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM110, 13288 Marseille, France
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
| | - Sergeant-Perthuis Grégoire
- Institut de Mathématiques de Jussieu—Paris Rive Gauche (IMJ-PRG), UMR 7586, CNRS-Université Paris Diderot, 75013 Paris, France;
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30
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Wen Y, Zhao J, He H, Zhao Q, Liu Z. Multiplexed Single-Cell Plasmonic Immunoassay of Intracellular Signaling Proteins Enables Non-Destructive Monitoring of Cell Fate. Anal Chem 2021; 93:14204-14213. [PMID: 34648273 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c03062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
It is of significant importance in cancer biology to identify signaling pathways that play key roles in cell fate determination. Dissecting cellular signaling pathways requires the measurement of a large number of signaling proteins. However, tools for simultaneously monitoring multiple signaling pathway components in single living cells remain limited at present. Herein, we describe an approach, termed multiplexed single-cell plasmonic immunosandwich assay (mxscPISA), for simultaneous detection of multiple signaling proteins in individual living cells. This approach enabled simultaneous non-destructive monitoring of multiple (up to five, currently the highest multiplexing capacity in living cells) cytoplasmic and nucleus signaling proteins in individual cells with ultrahigh detection sensitivity. As a proof of principle, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway, which plays a central role in cell fate determination, was investigated using this approach in this study. We found that there were differential attenuation rate of pro-survival and accumulation rate of pro-death signaling protein of the EGFR pathway in response to EGFR inactivation. These findings implicate that, after EGFR inactivation, a transient imbalance between survival and apoptotic signaling outputs contributed to the final cell fate of death. The mxscPISA approach can be a promising tool to reveal a signaling dynamic pattern at the single-cell level and to identify key components of signaling pathways that contribute to the final cell fate using only a limited number of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanrong Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jialing Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Hui He
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Quan Zhao
- School of Life Science, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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31
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Bioluminescence and Photoreception in Unicellular Organisms: Light-Signalling in a Bio-Communication Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111311. [PMID: 34768741 PMCID: PMC8582858 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence, the emission of light catalysed by luciferases, has evolved in many taxa from bacteria to vertebrates and is predominant in the marine environment. It is now well established that in animals possessing a nervous system capable of integrating light stimuli, bioluminescence triggers various behavioural responses and plays a role in intra- or interspecific visual communication. The function of light emission in unicellular organisms is less clear and it is currently thought that it has evolved in an ecological framework, to be perceived by visual animals. For example, while it is thought that bioluminescence allows bacteria to be ingested by zooplankton or fish, providing them with favourable conditions for growth and dispersal, the luminous flashes emitted by dinoflagellates may have evolved as an anti-predation system against copepods. In this short review, we re-examine this paradigm in light of recent findings in microorganism photoreception, signal integration and complex behaviours. Numerous studies show that on the one hand, bacteria and protists, whether autotrophs or heterotrophs, possess a variety of photoreceptors capable of perceiving and integrating light stimuli of different wavelengths. Single-cell light-perception produces responses ranging from phototaxis to more complex behaviours. On the other hand, there is growing evidence that unicellular prokaryotes and eukaryotes can perform complex tasks ranging from habituation and decision-making to associative learning, despite lacking a nervous system. Here, we focus our analysis on two taxa, bacteria and dinoflagellates, whose bioluminescence is well studied. We propose the hypothesis that similar to visual animals, the interplay between light-emission and reception could play multiple roles in intra- and interspecific communication and participate in complex behaviour in the unicellular world.
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32
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Hu Z, Sankar DS, Vu B, Leytens A, Vionnet C, Wu W, Stumpe M, Martínez-Martínez E, Stork B, Dengjel J. ULK1 phosphorylation of striatin activates protein phosphatase 2A and autophagy. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109762. [PMID: 34592149 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolutionarily conserved ULK1 kinase complex acts as gatekeeper of canonical autophagy and regulates induction of autophagosome biogenesis. To better understand control of ULK1 and analyze whether ULK1 has broader functions that are also linked to the later steps of autophagy, we perform comprehensive phosphoproteomic analyses. Combining in vivo with in vitro data, we identify numerous direct ULK1 target sites within autophagy-relevant proteins that are critical for autophagosome maturation and turnover. In addition, we highlight an intimate crosstalk between ULK1 and several phosphatase complexes. ULK1 is not only a PP2A target but also directly phosphorylates the regulatory PP2A subunit striatin, activating PP2A and serving as positive feedback to promote autophagy-dependent protein turnover. Thus, ULK1 and phosphatase activities are tightly coordinated to robustly regulate protein degradation by autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehan Hu
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | | | - Bich Vu
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Leytens
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Christine Vionnet
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Wenxian Wu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine I, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michael Stumpe
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | | | - Björn Stork
- Institute of Molecular Medicine I, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jörn Dengjel
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.
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Saha T, Gil-Henn H. Invadopodia, a Kingdom of Non-Receptor Tyrosine Kinases. Cells 2021; 10:cells10082037. [PMID: 34440806 PMCID: PMC8391121 DOI: 10.3390/cells10082037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-receptor tyrosine kinases (NRTKs) are crucial mediators of intracellular signaling and control a wide variety of processes such as cell division, morphogenesis, and motility. Aberrant NRTK-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation has been linked to various human disorders and diseases, among them cancer metastasis, to which no treatment presently exists. Invasive cancer cells leaving the primary tumor use invadopodia, feet-like structures which facilitate extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and intravasation, to escape the primary tumor and disseminate into distant tissues and organs during metastasis. A major challenge in metastasis research is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying invadopodia regulation, as the general belief is that targeting these structures can potentially lead to the eradication of cancer metastasis. Non-receptor tyrosine kinases (NRTKs) play a central role in regulating invadopodia formation and function, but how they coordinate the signaling leading to these processes was not clear until recently. Here, we describe the major NRTKs that rule invadopodia and how they work in concert while keeping an accurate hierarchy to control tumor cell invasiveness and dissemination.
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34
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Ford KM, Panwala R, Chen DH, Portell A, Palmer N, Mali P. Peptide-tiling screens of cancer drivers reveal oncogenic protein domains and associated peptide inhibitors. Cell Syst 2021; 12:716-732.e7. [PMID: 34051140 PMCID: PMC8298269 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2021.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Gene fragments derived from structural domains mediating physical interactions can modulate biological functions. Utilizing this, we developed lentiviral overexpression libraries of peptides comprehensively tiling high-confidence cancer driver genes. Toward inhibiting cancer growth, we assayed ~66,000 peptides, tiling 65 cancer drivers and 579 mutant alleles. Pooled fitness screens in two breast cancer cell lines revealed peptides, which selectively reduced cellular proliferation, implicating oncogenic protein domains important for cell fitness. Coupling of cell-penetrating motifs to these peptides enabled drug-like function, with peptides derived from EGFR and RAF1 inhibiting cell growth at IC50s of 27-63 μM. We anticipate that this peptide-tiling (PepTile) approach will enable rapid de novo mapping of bioactive protein domains and associated interfering peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle M Ford
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Rebecca Panwala
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Dai-Hua Chen
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Andrew Portell
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nathan Palmer
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Prashant Mali
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA.
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35
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Sudhakar P, Machiels K, Verstockt B, Korcsmaros T, Vermeire S. Computational Biology and Machine Learning Approaches to Understand Mechanistic Microbiome-Host Interactions. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:618856. [PMID: 34046017 PMCID: PMC8148342 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.618856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The microbiome, by virtue of its interactions with the host, is implicated in various host functions including its influence on nutrition and homeostasis. Many chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases are characterized by a disruption of microbial communities in at least one biological niche/organ system. Various molecular mechanisms between microbial and host components such as proteins, RNAs, metabolites have recently been identified, thus filling many gaps in our understanding of how the microbiome modulates host processes. Concurrently, high-throughput technologies have enabled the profiling of heterogeneous datasets capturing community level changes in the microbiome as well as the host responses. However, due to limitations in parallel sampling and analytical procedures, big gaps still exist in terms of how the microbiome mechanistically influences host functions at a system and community level. In the past decade, computational biology and machine learning methodologies have been developed with the aim of filling the existing gaps. Due to the agnostic nature of the tools, they have been applied in diverse disease contexts to analyze and infer the interactions between the microbiome and host molecular components. Some of these approaches allow the identification and analysis of affected downstream host processes. Most of the tools statistically or mechanistically integrate different types of -omic and meta -omic datasets followed by functional/biological interpretation. In this review, we provide an overview of the landscape of computational approaches for investigating mechanistic interactions between individual microbes/microbiome and the host and the opportunities for basic and clinical research. These could include but are not limited to the development of activity- and mechanism-based biomarkers, uncovering mechanisms for therapeutic interventions and generating integrated signatures to stratify patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Padhmanand Sudhakar
- Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Earlham Institute, Norwich, United Kingdom
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Kathleen Machiels
- Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bram Verstockt
- Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tamas Korcsmaros
- Earlham Institute, Norwich, United Kingdom
- Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Séverine Vermeire
- Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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36
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Yesilkanal AE, Yang D, Valdespino A, Tiwari P, Sabino AU, Nguyen LC, Lee J, Xie XH, Sun S, Dann C, Robinson-Mailman L, Steinberg E, Stuhlmiller T, Frankenberger C, Goldsmith E, Johnson GL, Ramos AF, Rosner MR. Limited inhibition of multiple nodes in a driver network blocks metastasis. eLife 2021; 10:e59696. [PMID: 33973518 PMCID: PMC8128439 DOI: 10.7554/elife.59696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis suppression by high-dose, multi-drug targeting is unsuccessful due to network heterogeneity and compensatory network activation. Here, we show that targeting driver network signaling capacity by limited inhibition of core pathways is a more effective anti-metastatic strategy. This principle underlies the action of a physiological metastasis suppressor, Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP), that moderately decreases stress-regulated MAP kinase network activity, reducing output to transcription factors such as pro-metastastic BACH1 and motility-related target genes. We developed a low-dose four-drug mimic that blocks metastatic colonization in mouse breast cancer models and increases survival. Experiments and network flow modeling show limited inhibition of multiple pathways is required to overcome variation in MAPK network topology and suppress signaling output across heterogeneous tumor cells. Restricting inhibition of individual kinases dissipates surplus signal, preventing threshold activation of compensatory kinase networks. This low-dose multi-drug approach to decrease signaling capacity of driver networks represents a transformative, clinically relevant strategy for anti-metastatic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ekrem Yesilkanal
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Dongbo Yang
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Andrea Valdespino
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Payal Tiwari
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Alan U Sabino
- Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina and Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades; University of São PauloSão PauloBrazil
| | - Long Chi Nguyen
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Jiyoung Lee
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Xiao-He Xie
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Siqi Sun
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Christopher Dann
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | | | - Ethan Steinberg
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | - Timothy Stuhlmiller
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillUnited States
| | - Casey Frankenberger
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
| | | | - Gary L Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillUnited States
| | - Alexandre F Ramos
- Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina and Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades; University of São PauloSão PauloBrazil
| | - Marsha R Rosner
- Ben May Department for Cancer Research, University of ChicagoChicagoUnited States
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37
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Kerjouan A, Boyault C, Oddou C, Hiriart-Bryant E, Grichine A, Kraut A, Pezet M, Balland M, Faurobert E, Bonnet I, Coute Y, Fourcade B, Albiges-Rizo C, Destaing O. Control of SRC molecular dynamics encodes distinct cytoskeletal responses by specifying signaling pathway usage. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:237349. [PMID: 33495358 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.254599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Upon activation by different transmembrane receptors, the same signaling protein can induce distinct cellular responses. A way to decipher the mechanisms of such pleiotropic signaling activity is to directly manipulate the decision-making activity that supports the selection between distinct cellular responses. We developed an optogenetic probe (optoSRC) to control SRC signaling, an example of a pleiotropic signaling node, and we demonstrated its ability to generate different acto-adhesive structures (lamellipodia or invadosomes) upon distinct spatio-temporal control of SRC kinase activity. The occurrence of each acto-adhesive structure was simply dictated by the dynamics of optoSRC nanoclusters in adhesive sites, which were dependent on the SH3 and Unique domains of the protein. The different decision-making events regulated by optoSRC dynamics induced distinct downstream signaling pathways, which we characterized using time-resolved proteomic and network analyses. Collectively, by manipulating the molecular mobility of SRC kinase activity, these experiments reveal the pleiotropy-encoding mechanism of SRC signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adèle Kerjouan
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Centre de Recherche Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38706 La Tronche, France
| | - Cyril Boyault
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Centre de Recherche Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38706 La Tronche, France
| | - Christiane Oddou
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Centre de Recherche Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38706 La Tronche, France
| | - Edwige Hiriart-Bryant
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Centre de Recherche Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38706 La Tronche, France
| | - Alexei Grichine
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Centre de Recherche Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38706 La Tronche, France
| | | | - Mylène Pezet
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Centre de Recherche Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38706 La Tronche, France
| | - Martial Balland
- Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Physique (Liphy), Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, 38000, 38402 Saint-Martin-d'Héres, France
| | - Eva Faurobert
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Centre de Recherche Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38706 La Tronche, France
| | - Isabelle Bonnet
- Laboratoire Physico-Chimie Curie, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Sorbonne University, UMR 168, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Yohann Coute
- Laboratoire EDYP, BIG-BGE, CEA, 38054 Grenoble, France
| | - Bertrand Fourcade
- Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Physique (Liphy), Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, 38000, 38402 Saint-Martin-d'Héres, France
| | - Corinne Albiges-Rizo
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Centre de Recherche Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38706 La Tronche, France
| | - Olivier Destaing
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Centre de Recherche Université Grenoble Alpes, Inserm U 1209, CNRS UMR 5309, 38706 La Tronche, France
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Abstract
Cell-surface adhesion receptors mediate interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM) to control many fundamental aspects of cell behavior, including cell migration, survival, and proliferation. Integrin adhesion receptors recruit structural and signaling proteins to form multimolecular adhesion complexes that link the plasma membrane to the actomyosin cytoskeleton. The assembly and turnover of adhesion complexes are tightly regulated, governed in part by the networks of physical protein interactions and functional signaling associations between components of the adhesome. Proteomic profiling of adhesion complexes has begun to reveal their molecular complexity and diversity. To interrogate the composition of cell-ECM adhesions, we detail herein an approach for the network analysis of adhesion complex proteomes. Integration of these proteomic data with adhesome databases in the context of predicted protein interactions enables the mapping of experimentally defined adhesion complex networks. Computational analysis of resultant network models can identify subnetworks of putative functionally linked adhesion protein communities. This approach provides a framework to predict functional adhesion protein relationships and generate new mechanistic hypotheses for further experimental testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Li Mow Chee
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Adam Byron
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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39
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Xue Y, Ding MQ, Lu X. Learning to encode cellular responses to systematic perturbations with deep generative models. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2020; 6:35. [PMID: 33159077 PMCID: PMC7648057 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-020-00158-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular signaling systems play a vital role in maintaining homeostasis when a cell is exposed to different perturbations. Components of the systems are organized as hierarchical networks, and perturbing different components often leads to transcriptomic profiles that exhibit compositional statistical patterns. Mining such patterns to investigate how cellular signals are encoded is an important problem in systems biology, where artificial intelligence techniques can be of great assistance. Here, we investigated the capability of deep generative models (DGMs) to modeling signaling systems and learn representations of cellular states underlying transcriptomic responses to diverse perturbations. Specifically, we show that the variational autoencoder and the supervised vector-quantized variational autoencoder can accurately regenerate gene expression data in response to perturbagen treatments. The models can learn representations that reveal the relationships between different classes of perturbagens and enable mappings between drugs and their target genes. In summary, DGMs can adequately learn and depict how cellular signals are encoded. The resulting representations have broad applications, demonstrating the power of artificial intelligence in systems biology and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Xue
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, USA
| | - Michael Q Ding
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, USA
| | - Xinghua Lu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, USA.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206, USA.
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40
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Lu J, Wilfred P, Korbie D, Trau M. Regulation of Canonical Oncogenic Signaling Pathways in Cancer via DNA Methylation. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E3199. [PMID: 33143142 PMCID: PMC7692324 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12113199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Disruption of signaling pathways that plays a role in the normal development and cellular homeostasis may lead to the dysregulation of cellular signaling and bring about the onset of different diseases, including cancer. In addition to genetic aberrations, DNA methylation also acts as an epigenetic modifier to drive the onset and progression of cancer by mediating the reversible transcription of related genes. Although the role of DNA methylation as an alternative driver of carcinogenesis has been well-established, the global effects of DNA methylation on oncogenic signaling pathways and the presentation of cancer is only emerging. In this article, we introduced a differential methylation parsing pipeline (MethylMine) which mined for epigenetic biomarkers based on feature selection. This pipeline was used to mine for biomarkers, which presented a substantial difference in methylation between the tumor and the matching normal tissue samples. Combined with the Data Integration Analysis for Biomarker discovery (DIABLO) framework for machine learning and multi-omic analysis, we revisited the TCGA DNA methylation and RNA-Seq datasets for breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer, and identified differentially methylated genes within the NRF2-KEAP1/PI3K oncogenic pathway, which regulates the expression of cytoprotective genes, that serve as potential therapeutic targets to treat different cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Lu
- Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (J.L.); (P.W.)
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Premila Wilfred
- Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (J.L.); (P.W.)
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Darren Korbie
- Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (J.L.); (P.W.)
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Matt Trau
- Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (J.L.); (P.W.)
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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41
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Hu Z, Raucci S, Jaquenoud M, Hatakeyama R, Stumpe M, Rohr R, Reggiori F, De Virgilio C, Dengjel J. Multilayered Control of Protein Turnover by TORC1 and Atg1. Cell Rep 2020; 28:3486-3496.e6. [PMID: 31553916 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) is a master regulator of cell homeostasis, which promotes anabolic reactions and synchronously inhibits catabolic processes such as autophagy-mediated protein degradation. Its prime autophagy target is Atg13, a subunit of the Atg1 kinase complex that acts as the gatekeeper of canonical autophagy. To study whether the activities of TORC1 and Atg1 are coupled through additional, more intricate control mechanisms than simply this linear pathway, we analyzed the epistatic relationship between TORC1 and Atg1 by using quantitative phosphoproteomics. Our in vivo data, combined with targeted in vitro TORC1 and Atg1 kinase assays, not only uncover numerous TORC1 and Atg1 effectors, but also suggest distinct bi-directional regulatory feedback loops and characterize Atg29 as a commonly regulated downstream target of both TORC1 and Atg1. Thus, an exquisitely multilayered regulatory network appears to coordinate TORC1 and Atg1 activities to robustly tune autophagy in response to nutritional cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehan Hu
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Serena Raucci
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Malika Jaquenoud
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Riko Hatakeyama
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Michael Stumpe
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Rudolf Rohr
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Fulvio Reggiori
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Jörn Dengjel
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.
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42
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Su Z, Dhusia K, Wu Y. Understand the Functions of Scaffold Proteins in Cell Signaling by a Mesoscopic Simulation Method. Biophys J 2020; 119:2116-2126. [PMID: 33113350 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Scaffold proteins are central players in regulating the spatial-temporal organization of many important signaling pathways in cells. They offer physical platforms to downstream signaling proteins so that their transient interactions in a crowded and heterogeneous environment of cytosol can be greatly facilitated. However, most scaffold proteins tend to simultaneously bind more than one signaling molecule, which leads to the spatial assembly of multimeric protein complexes. The kinetics of these protein oligomerizations are difficult to quantify by traditional experimental approaches. To understand the functions of scaffold proteins in cell signaling, we developed a, to our knowledge, new hybrid simulation algorithm in which both spatial organization and binding kinetics of proteins were implemented. We applied this new technique to a simple network system that contains three molecules. One molecule in the network is a scaffold protein, whereas the other two are its binding targets in the downstream signaling pathway. Each of the three molecules in the system contains two binding motifs that can interact with each other and are connected by a flexible linker. By applying the new simulation method to the model, we show that the scaffold proteins will promote not only thermodynamics but also kinetics of cell signaling given the premise that the interaction between the two signaling molecules is transient. Moreover, by changing the flexibility of the linker between two binding motifs, our results suggest that the conformational fluctuations in a scaffold protein play a positive role in recruiting downstream signaling molecules. In summary, this study showcases the capability of computational simulation in understanding the general principles of scaffold protein functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoqian Su
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Kalyani Dhusia
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Yinghao Wu
- Department of Systems and Computational Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
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43
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Tripathi S, Kessler DA, Levine H. Biological Networks Regulating Cell Fate Choice Are Minimally Frustrated. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2020; 125:088101. [PMID: 32909810 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.125.088101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Characterization of the differences between biological and random networks can reveal the design principles that enable the robust realization of crucial biological functions including the establishment of different cell types. Previous studies, focusing on identifying topological features that are present in biological networks but not in random networks, have, however, provided few functional insights. We use a Boolean modeling framework and ideas from the spin glass literature to identify functional differences between five real biological networks and random networks with similar topological features. We show that minimal frustration is a fundamental property that allows biological networks to robustly establish cell types and regulate cell fate choice, and that this property can emerge in complex networks via Darwinian evolution. The study also provides clues regarding how the regulation of cell fate choice can go awry in a disease like cancer and lead to the emergence of aberrant cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubham Tripathi
- PhD Program in Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - David A Kessler
- Department of Physics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Herbert Levine
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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Using Coarse-Grained Simulations to Characterize the Mechanisms of Protein-Protein Association. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10071056. [PMID: 32679892 PMCID: PMC7407674 DOI: 10.3390/biom10071056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation of functionally versatile protein complexes underlies almost every biological process. The estimation of how fast these complexes can be formed has broad implications for unravelling the mechanism of biomolecular recognition. This kinetic property is traditionally quantified by association rates, which can be measured through various experimental techniques. To complement these time-consuming and labor-intensive approaches, we developed a coarse-grained simulation approach to study the physical processes of protein–protein association. We systematically calibrated our simulation method against a large-scale benchmark set. By combining a physics-based force field with a statistically-derived potential in the simulation, we found that the association rates of more than 80% of protein complexes can be correctly predicted within one order of magnitude relative to their experimental measurements. We further showed that a mixture of force fields derived from complementary sources was able to describe the process of protein–protein association with mechanistic details. For instance, we show that association of a protein complex contains multiple steps in which proteins continuously search their local binding orientations and form non-native-like intermediates through repeated dissociation and re-association. Moreover, with an ensemble of loosely bound encounter complexes observed around their native conformation, we suggest that the transition states of protein–protein association could be highly diverse on the structural level. Our study also supports the idea in which the association of a protein complex is driven by a “funnel-like” energy landscape. In summary, these results shed light on our understanding of how protein–protein recognition is kinetically modulated, and our coarse-grained simulation approach can serve as a useful addition to the existing experimental approaches that measure protein–protein association rates.
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Rosario D, Boren J, Uhlen M, Proctor G, Aarsland D, Mardinoglu A, Shoaie S. Systems Biology Approaches to Understand the Host-Microbiome Interactions in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:716. [PMID: 32733199 PMCID: PMC7360858 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) comprise a broad range of progressive neurological disorders with multifactorial etiology contributing to disease pathophysiology. Evidence of the microbiome involvement in the gut-brain axis urges the interest in understanding metabolic interactions between the microbiota and host physiology in NDDs. Systems Biology offers a holistic integrative approach to study the interplay between the different biologic systems as part of a whole, and may elucidate the host–microbiome interactions in NDDs. We reviewed direct and indirect pathways through which the microbiota can modulate the bidirectional communication of the gut-brain axis, and explored the evidence of microbial dysbiosis in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. As the gut microbiota being strongly affected by diet, the potential approaches to targeting the human microbiota through diet for the stimulation of neuroprotective microbial-metabolites secretion were described. We explored the potential of Genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) to infer microbe-microbe and host-microbe interactions and to identify the microbiome contribution to disease development or prevention. Finally, a systemic approach based on GEMs and ‘omics integration, that would allow the design of sustainable personalized anti-inflammatory diets in NDDs prevention, through the modulation of gut microbiota was described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorines Rosario
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Boren
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mathias Uhlen
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gordon Proctor
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dag Aarsland
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Adil Mardinoglu
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Saeed Shoaie
- Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
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Mahmoodi N, Ai J, Ebrahimi‐Barough S, Hassannejad Z, Hasanzadeh E, Basiri A, Vaccaro AR, Rahimi‐Movaghar V. Microtubule stabilizer epothilone B as a motor neuron differentiation agent for human endometrial stem cells. Cell Biol Int 2020; 44:1168-1183. [DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Narges Mahmoodi
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Sina HospitalTehran University of Medical Sciences Hasan‐Abad Square, Imam Khomeini Ave. Tehran 11365‐3876 Iran
| | - Jafar Ai
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in MedicineTehran University of Medical Sciences Number 88, Italy Street, Between Ghods Street and Vesal Shirazi Street Tehran 14177‐55469 Iran
| | - Somayeh Ebrahimi‐Barough
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in MedicineTehran University of Medical Sciences Number 88, Italy Street, Between Ghods Street and Vesal Shirazi Street Tehran 14177‐55469 Iran
| | - Zahra Hassannejad
- Pediatric Urology and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Children's Medical Center, Pediatric Center of ExcellenceTehran University of Medical Sciences No. 62, Dr. Gharibs Street, Keshavarz Boulevard Tehran 1419733151 Iran
| | - Elham Hasanzadeh
- Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Technologies in MedicineMazandaran University of Medical Sciences Next to Tooba Medical Building, Khazar Boulevard Sari 48471‐91971 Iran
| | - Arefeh Basiri
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in MedicineTehran University of Medical Sciences Number 88, Italy Street, Between Ghods Street and Vesal Shirazi Street Tehran 14177‐55469 Iran
| | - Alexander R. Vaccaro
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rothman InstituteThomas Jefferson University 1925 Chestnut Street, 5th Floor Philadelphia Pennsylvania 19107 USA
| | - Vafa Rahimi‐Movaghar
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Sina HospitalTehran University of Medical Sciences Hasan‐Abad Square, Imam Khomeini Ave. Tehran 11365‐3876 Iran
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Hindley JW, Law RV, Ces O. Membrane functionalization in artificial cell engineering. SN APPLIED SCIENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42452-020-2357-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractBottom-up synthetic biology aims to construct mimics of cellular structure and behaviour known as artificial cells from a small number of molecular components. The development of this nascent field has coupled new insights in molecular biology with large translational potential for application in fields such as drug delivery and biosensing. Multiple approaches have been applied to create cell mimics, with many efforts focusing on phospholipid-based systems. This mini-review focuses on different approaches to incorporating molecular motifs as tools for lipid membrane functionalization in artificial cell construction. Such motifs range from synthetic chemical functional groups to components from extant biology that can be arranged in a ‘plug-and-play’ approach which is hard to replicate in living systems. Rationally designed artificial cells possess the promise of complex biomimetic behaviour from minimal, highly engineered chemical networks.
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48
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Uda S. Application of information theory in systems biology. Biophys Rev 2020; 12:377-384. [PMID: 32144740 PMCID: PMC7242537 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-020-00665-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Over recent years, new light has been shed on aspects of information processing in cells. The quantification of information, as described by Shannon’s information theory, is a basic and powerful tool that can be applied to various fields, such as communication, statistics, and computer science, as well as to information processing within cells. It has also been used to infer the network structure of molecular species. However, the difficulty of obtaining sufficient sample sizes and the computational burden associated with the high-dimensional data often encountered in biology can result in bottlenecks in the application of information theory to systems biology. This article provides an overview of the application of information theory to systems biology, discussing the associated bottlenecks and reviewing recent work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinsuke Uda
- Division of Integrated Omics, Research Center for Transomics Medicine, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan.
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Costa-Urrutia P, Colistro V, Jiménez-Osorio AS, Cárdenas-Hernández H, Solares-Tlapechco J, Ramirez-Alcántara M, Granados J, Ascencio-Montiel IDJ, Rodríguez-Arellano ME. Genome-Wide Association Study of Body Mass Index and Body Fat in Mexican-Mestizo Children. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E945. [PMID: 31752434 PMCID: PMC6895864 DOI: 10.3390/genes10110945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood obesity is a major health problem in Mexico. Obesity prevalence estimated by body mass index (BMI) is almost half than that estimated by percent body fat (%BF) in the Childhood Obesity pediatric cohort (COIPIS). OBJECTIVE We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of BMI and %BF in 828 children from the COIPIS to identify markers of predisposition to high values for both phenotypes used for obesity classification. METHODS For the GWAS we used the LAT Axiom 1, Affymetrix and 2.5 million single loci from the 1000 Genomes Phase 3 imputation panel. We used a linear model, adjusted by age, sex, and Amerindian ancestry assuming an additive inheritance model. RESULTS Genome-wide significance (p ≤ 5.0 × 10-8) and 80% of statistical power was reached for associations of two loci in two genes (CERS3 and CYP2E1) to BMI. Also, 11 loci in six genes (ANKS1B, ARNTL2, KCNS3, LMNB1, SRGAP3, TRPC7) reached genome-wide significance for associations to %BF, though not 80% of statistical power. DISCUSSION None of the SNPs were previously reported as being associated to BMI or %BF. In addition, different loci were found for BMI and %BF. These results highlight the importance of gaining deeper understanding of genetic markers of predisposition to high values for the phenotypes used for obesity diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Costa-Urrutia
- Laboratorio de Medicina Genómica, Hospital Regional Lic. Adolfo López Mateos, ISSSTE. 1321 Universidad Avenue, Álvaro Obregón, Florida, Mexico City P.C0103, Mexico; (P.C.-U.); (A.S.J.-O.); (H.C.-H.); (J.S.-T.); (M.R.-A.)
| | - Valentina Colistro
- Departamento de Métodos Cuantitativos, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, 2125 General Flores Avenue, Montevideo P.C11800, Uruguay;
| | - Angélica Saraí Jiménez-Osorio
- Laboratorio de Medicina Genómica, Hospital Regional Lic. Adolfo López Mateos, ISSSTE. 1321 Universidad Avenue, Álvaro Obregón, Florida, Mexico City P.C0103, Mexico; (P.C.-U.); (A.S.J.-O.); (H.C.-H.); (J.S.-T.); (M.R.-A.)
| | - Helios Cárdenas-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Medicina Genómica, Hospital Regional Lic. Adolfo López Mateos, ISSSTE. 1321 Universidad Avenue, Álvaro Obregón, Florida, Mexico City P.C0103, Mexico; (P.C.-U.); (A.S.J.-O.); (H.C.-H.); (J.S.-T.); (M.R.-A.)
| | - Jacqueline Solares-Tlapechco
- Laboratorio de Medicina Genómica, Hospital Regional Lic. Adolfo López Mateos, ISSSTE. 1321 Universidad Avenue, Álvaro Obregón, Florida, Mexico City P.C0103, Mexico; (P.C.-U.); (A.S.J.-O.); (H.C.-H.); (J.S.-T.); (M.R.-A.)
| | - Miryam Ramirez-Alcántara
- Laboratorio de Medicina Genómica, Hospital Regional Lic. Adolfo López Mateos, ISSSTE. 1321 Universidad Avenue, Álvaro Obregón, Florida, Mexico City P.C0103, Mexico; (P.C.-U.); (A.S.J.-O.); (H.C.-H.); (J.S.-T.); (M.R.-A.)
| | - Julio Granados
- División de Inmunogenética, Departamento de Trasplantes, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán. 15 Vasco de Quiroga Avenue. Mexico City P.C.14080, Mexico;
| | - Iván de Jesús Ascencio-Montiel
- Coordinación de Vigilancia de Epidemiología, Instituto Mexicano de Seguro Social, 120 Mier y Pesado Street, del Valle Benito Juárez, Mexico City C.P. 03100 Mexico;
| | - Martha Eunice Rodríguez-Arellano
- Laboratorio de Medicina Genómica, Hospital Regional Lic. Adolfo López Mateos, ISSSTE. 1321 Universidad Avenue, Álvaro Obregón, Florida, Mexico City P.C0103, Mexico; (P.C.-U.); (A.S.J.-O.); (H.C.-H.); (J.S.-T.); (M.R.-A.)
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Abstract
Complex disease such as cancer is often caused by genetic mutations that eventually alter the signal flow in the intra-cellular signaling network and result in different cell fate. Therefore, it is crucial to identify control targets that can most effectively block such unwanted signal flow. For this purpose, systems biological analysis provides a useful framework, but mathematical modeling of complicated signaling networks requires massive time-series measurements of signaling protein activity levels for accurate estimation of kinetic parameter values or regulatory logics. Here, we present a novel method, called SFC (Signal Flow Control), for identifying control targets without the information of kinetic parameter values or regulatory logics. Our method requires only the structural information of a signaling network and is based on the topological estimation of signal flow through the network. SFC will be particularly useful for a large-scale signaling network to which parameter estimation or inference of regulatory logics is no longer applicable in practice. The identified control targets have significant implication in drug development as they can be putative drug targets.
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