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Wu J, Song L, Lu M, Gao Q, Xu S, Zhou P, Ma T. The multifaceted functions of DNA-PKcs: implications for the therapy of human diseases. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e613. [PMID: 38898995 PMCID: PMC11185949 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), catalytic subunit, also known as DNA-PKcs, is complexed with the heterodimer Ku70/Ku80 to form DNA-PK holoenzyme, which is well recognized as initiator in the nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) repair after double strand break (DSB). During NHEJ, DNA-PKcs is essential for both DNA end processing and end joining. Besides its classical function in DSB repair, DNA-PKcs also shows multifaceted functions in various biological activities such as class switch recombination (CSR) and variable (V) diversity (D) joining (J) recombination in B/T lymphocytes development, innate immunity through cGAS-STING pathway, transcription, alternative splicing, and so on, which are dependent on its function in NHEJ or not. Moreover, DNA-PKcs deficiency has been proven to be related with human diseases such as neurological pathogenesis, cancer, immunological disorder, and so on through different mechanisms. Therefore, it is imperative to summarize the latest findings about DNA-PKcs and diseases for better targeting DNA-PKcs, which have shown efficacy in cancer treatment in preclinical models. Here, we discuss the multifaceted roles of DNA-PKcs in human diseases, meanwhile, we discuss the progresses of DNA-PKcs inhibitors and their potential in clinical trials. The most updated review about DNA-PKcs will hopefully provide insights and ideas to understand DNA-PKcs associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghong Wu
- Cancer Research CenterBeijing Chest HospitalCapital Medical University/Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research InstituteBeijingChina
| | - Liwei Song
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryBeijing Chest HospitalCapital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research InstituteBeijingChina
| | - Mingjun Lu
- Cancer Research CenterBeijing Chest HospitalCapital Medical University/Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research InstituteBeijingChina
| | - Qing Gao
- Cancer Research CenterBeijing Chest HospitalCapital Medical University/Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research InstituteBeijingChina
| | - Shaofa Xu
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryBeijing Chest HospitalCapital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research InstituteBeijingChina
| | - Ping‐Kun Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory for RadiobiologyBeijing Institute of Radiation MedicineBeijingChina
| | - Teng Ma
- Cancer Research CenterBeijing Chest HospitalCapital Medical University/Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research InstituteBeijingChina
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2
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Krull JE, Wenzl K, Hopper MA, Manske MK, Sarangi V, Maurer MJ, Larson MC, Mondello P, Yang Z, Novak JP, Serres M, Whitaker KR, Villasboas Bisneto JC, Habermann TM, Witzig TE, Link BK, Rimsza LM, King RL, Ansell SM, Cerhan JR, Novak AJ. Follicular lymphoma B cells exhibit heterogeneous transcriptional states with associated somatic alterations and tumor microenvironments. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101443. [PMID: 38428430 PMCID: PMC10983045 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101443] [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: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma of germinal center origin, which presents with significant biologic and clinical heterogeneity. Using RNA-seq on B cells sorted from 87 FL biopsies, combined with machine-learning approaches, we identify 3 transcriptional states that divide the biological ontology of FL B cells into inflamed, proliferative, and chromatin-modifying states, with relationship to prior GC B cell phenotypes. When integrated with whole-exome sequencing and immune profiling, we find that each state was associated with a combination of mutations in chromatin modifiers, copy-number alterations to TNFAIP3, and T follicular helper cells (Tfh) cell interactions, or primarily by a microenvironment rich in activated T cells. Altogether, these data define FL B cell transcriptional states across a large cohort of patients, contribute to our understanding of FL heterogeneity at the tumor cell level, and provide a foundation for guiding therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kerstin Wenzl
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | | | | | - Matthew J Maurer
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Melissa C Larson
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | - ZhiZhang Yang
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Brian K Link
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Blood & Marrow Transplantation, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Lisa M Rimsza
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Rebecca L King
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | - James R Cerhan
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Anne J Novak
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
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Azevedo-Pouly AC, Appell LE, Burdine L, Rogers LJ, Morehead LC, Fil D, Barker M, Rainwater RR, Waldrip ZJ, Koss B, Burdine MS. Chemical inhibition of DNA-PKcs impairs the activation and cytotoxicity of CD4 + helper and CD8 + effector T cells. Immunol Cell Biol 2023; 101:663-671. [PMID: 37149747 PMCID: PMC10527493 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Modulation of T cell activity is an effective strategy for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, immune-related disorders and cancer. This highlights a critical need for the identification of proteins that regulate T cell function. The kinase DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) is emerging as a potent regulator of the immune system, spurring interest in its use as a therapeutic target. In murine models of immune-related diseases including asthma and rheumatoid arthritis, treatment with small-molecule DNA-PKcs inhibitors decreased the disease severity. Additionally, DNA-PKcs inhibitors reduced T cell-mediated graft rejection in a murine allogenic skin graft model. These in vivo studies suggest the use of DNA-PKcs inhibitors as immunotherapy for autoimmune and T cell-mediated disorders. In this study, we sought to characterize further the effects of DNA-PKcs inhibitors on T cells to better understand their clinical potential. We determined that inhibition of DNA-PKcs using inhibitor NU7441 and the inhibitors currently in clinical trials for cancer therapy, M3184 and AZD7648, abrogated the activation of murine and human CD4+ and CD8+ T cells as evidenced by the reduced expression of the activation markers CD69 and CD25. Furthermore, inhibition of DNA-PKcs impeded metabolic pathways and the proliferation of activated T cells. This reduced the ability of OTI-CD8+ T cells to kill cancer cells and the expression of IFNγ and cytotoxic genes. These results highlight a critical role for DNA-PKcs in T cells and validate future studies using DNA-PKcs inhibitors as immune modulation therapy for the treatment of immune-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C Azevedo-Pouly
- Division of Surgical Research, Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Lauren E Appell
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Lyle Burdine
- Division of Surgical Research, Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Department of Transplant Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Lora J Rogers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Lauren C Morehead
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Daniel Fil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Melanie Barker
- Division of Surgical Research, Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Randall R Rainwater
- Division of Surgical Research, Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Zachary J Waldrip
- Division of Surgical Research, Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Brian Koss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Marie Schluterman Burdine
- Division of Surgical Research, Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
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Lee YR, Kang GS, Oh T, Jo HJ, Park HJ, Ahn GO. DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Catalytic Subunit (DNA-PKcs): Beyond the DNA Double-Strand Break Repair. Mol Cells 2023; 46:200-205. [PMID: 36756777 PMCID: PMC10086554 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2023.2164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), a member of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase related kinase family is a well-known player in repairing DNA double strand break through non-homologous end joining pathway. This mechanism has allowed us to understand its critical role in T and B cell development through V(D)J recombination and class switch recombination, respectively. We have also learned that the defects in these mechanisms lead to severely combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Here we highlight some of the latest evidence where DNA-PKcs has been shown to localize not only in the nucleus but also in the cytoplasm, phosphorylating various proteins involved in cellular metabolism and cytokine production. While it is an exciting time to unveil novel functions of DNA-PKcs, one should carefully choose experimental models to study DNA-PKcs as the experimental evidence has been shown to differ between cells of defective DNA-PKcs and those of DNA-PKcs knockout. Moreover, while there are several DNA-PK inhibitors currently being evaluated in the clinical trials in attempt to increase the efficacy of radiotherapy or chemotherapy, multiple functions and subcellular localization of DNA-PKcs in various types of cells may further complicate the effects at the cellular and organismal level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Rim Lee
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Gi-Sue Kang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Taerim Oh
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Hye-Ju Jo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Hye-Joon Park
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - G-One Ahn
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
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Waldrip ZJ, Burdine L, Harrison DK, Azevedo-Pouly AC, Storey AJ, Moffett OG, Mackintosh SG, Burdine MS. DNA-PKcs kinase activity stabilizes the transcription factor Egr1 in activated immune cells. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101209. [PMID: 34562454 PMCID: PMC8551498 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) is known primarily for its function in DNA double-stranded break repair and nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). However, DNA-PKcs also has a critical yet undefined role in immunity impacting both myeloid and lymphoid cell lineages spurring interest in targeting DNA-PKcs for therapeutic strategies in immune-related diseases. To gain insight into the function of DNA-PKcs within immune cells, we performed a quantitative phosphoproteomic screen in T cells to identify phosphorylation targets of DNA-PKcs. Our results indicate that DNA-PKcs phosphorylates the transcription factor Egr1 (early growth response protein 1) at serine 301. Expression of Egr1 is induced early upon T cell activation and dictates T cell response by modulating expression of cytokines and key costimulatory molecules such as IL (interleukin) 2, IL6, IFNγ, and NFκB. Inhibition of DNA-PKcs by treatment with a DNA-PKcs specific inhibitor NU7441 or shRNA knockdown increased proteasomal degradation of Egr1. Mutation of serine 301 to alanine via CRISPR-Cas9 reduced EGR1 protein expression and decreased Egr1-dependent transcription of IL2 in activated T cells. Our findings identify DNA-PKcs as a critical intermediary link between T cell activation and T cell fate and a novel phosphosite involved in regulating Egr1 activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary J Waldrip
- Division of Surgical Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Center for Translational Pediatric Research, Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Lyle Burdine
- Division of Surgical Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Department of Transplant Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - David K Harrison
- Division of Surgical Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Center for Translational Pediatric Research, Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Ana Clara Azevedo-Pouly
- Division of Surgical Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Center for Translational Pediatric Research, Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Aaron J Storey
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Olivia G Moffett
- College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Samuel G Mackintosh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
| | - Marie Schluterman Burdine
- Division of Surgical Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Center for Translational Pediatric Research, Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
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Harrison DK, Waldrip ZJ, Burdine L, Shalin SC, Burdine MS. DNA-PKcs Inhibition Extends Allogeneic Skin Graft Survival. Transplantation 2021; 105:540-549. [PMID: 32890138 PMCID: PMC7902289 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000003442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Organ transplantation is life-saving and continued investigations into immunologic mechanisms that drive organ rejection are needed to improve immunosuppression therapies and prevent graft failure. DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit, DNA dependent-protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), is a critical component of both the cellular and humoral immune responses. In this study, we investigate the contribution of DNA-PKcs to allogeneic skin graft rejection to potentially highlight a novel strategy for inhibiting transplant rejection. METHODS Fully MHC mismatched murine allogeneic skin graft studies were performed by transplanting skin from BalbC mice to C57bl6 mice and treating with either vehicle or the DNA-PKcs inhibitor NU7441. Graft rejection, cytokine production, immune cell infiltration, and donor-specific antibody formation were analyzed. RESULTS DNA-PKcs inhibition significantly reduced necrosis and extended graft survival compared with controls (mean survival 14 d versus 9 d, respectively). Inhibition reduced the production of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ and the infiltration of CD3+ lymphocytes into grafts. Furthermore, DNA-PKcs inhibition reduced the number of CD19+ B cells and CD19+ CD138+ plasma cells coinciding with a significant reduction in donor-specific antibodies. At a molecular level, we determined that the immunosuppressive effects of DNA-PKcs inhibition were mediated, in part, via inhibition of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells signaling through reduced expression of the p65 subunit. CONCLUSIONS Our data confirm that DNA-PKcs contributes to allogeneic graft rejection and highlight a novel immunologic function for DNA-PKcs in the regulation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells and concomitant cytokine production.
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Affiliation(s)
- David K. Harrison
- Division of Surgical Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Zachary J. Waldrip
- Division of Surgical Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Lyle Burdine
- Division of Surgical Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
- Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Sara C. Shalin
- Department of Pathology and Dermatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
| | - Marie Schluterman Burdine
- Division of Surgical Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America
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Chin MW, Norman MDA, Gentleman E, Coppens MO, Day RM. A Hydrogel-Integrated Culture Device to Interrogate T Cell Activation with Physicochemical Cues. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:47355-47367. [PMID: 33027591 PMCID: PMC7586298 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c16478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The recent rise of adoptive T cell therapy (ATCT) as a promising cancer immunotherapy has triggered increased interest in therapeutic T cell bioprocessing. T cell activation is a critical processing step and is known to be modulated by physical parameters, such as substrate stiffness. Nevertheless, relatively little is known about how biophysical factors regulate immune cells, such as T cells. Understanding how T cell activation is modulated by physical and biochemical cues may offer novel methods to control cell behavior for therapeutic cell processing. Inspired by T cell mechanosensitivity, we developed a multiwell, reusable, customizable, two-dimensional (2D) polyacrylamide (PA) hydrogel-integrated culture device to study the physicochemical stimulation of Jurkat T cells. Substrate stiffness and ligand density were tuned by concentrations of the hydrogel cross-linker and antibody in the coating solution, respectively. We cultured Jurkat T cells on 2D hydrogels of different stiffnesses that presented surface-immobilized stimulatory antibodies against CD3 and CD28 and demonstrated that Jurkat T cells stimulated by stiff hydrogels (50.6 ± 15.1 kPa) exhibited significantly higher interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion, but lower proliferation, than those stimulated by softer hydrogels (7.1 ± 0.4 kPa). In addition, we found that increasing anti-CD3 concentration from 10 to 30 μg/mL led to a significant increase in IL-2 secretion from cells stimulated on 7.1 ± 0.4 and 9.3 ± 2.4 kPa gels. Simultaneous tuning of substrate stiffness and stimulatory ligand density showed that the two parameters synergize (two-way ANOVA interaction effect: p < 0.001) to enhance IL-2 secretion. Our results demonstrate the importance of physical parameters in immune cell stimulation and highlight the potential of designing future immunostimulatory biomaterials that are mechanically tailored to balance stimulatory strength and downstream proliferative capacity of therapeutic T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew
H. W. Chin
- Centre
for Precision Healthcare, Division of Medicine, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
- Centre
for Nature Inspired Engineering, University
College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Michael D. A. Norman
- Centre
for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, United Kingdom
| | - Eileen Gentleman
- Centre
for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, United Kingdom
| | - Marc-Olivier Coppens
- Centre
for Nature Inspired Engineering, University
College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University College
London, London WC1E 7JE, United Kingdom
| | - Richard M. Day
- Centre
for Precision Healthcare, Division of Medicine, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
- Centre
for Nature Inspired Engineering, University
College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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