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Terradas M, Schubert SA, Viana-Errasti J, Ruano D, Aiza G, Nielsen M, Marciel P, Tops CM, Parra G, Morreau H, Torrents D, van Leerdam ME, Capellá G, de Miranda NFCC, Valle L, van Wezel T. Germline NPAT inactivating variants as cause of hereditary colorectal cancer. Eur J Hum Genet 2024; 32:871-875. [PMID: 38778081 PMCID: PMC11219789 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-024-01625-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Two independent exome sequencing initiatives aimed to identify new genes involved in the predisposition to nonpolyposis colorectal cancer led to the identification of heterozygous loss-of-function variants in NPAT, a gene that encodes a cyclin E/CDK2 effector required for S phase entry and a coactivator of histone transcription, in two families with multiple members affected with colorectal cancer. Enrichment of loss-of-function and predicted deleterious NPAT variants was identified in familial/early-onset colorectal cancer patients compared to non-cancer gnomAD individuals, further supporting the association with the disease. Previous studies in Drosophila models showed that NPAT abrogation results in chromosomal instability, increase of double strand breaks, and induction of tumour formation. In line with these results, colorectal cancers with NPAT somatic variants and no DNA repair defects have significantly higher aneuploidy levels than NPAT-wildtype colorectal cancers. In conclusion, our findings suggest that constitutional inactivating NPAT variants predispose to mismatch repair-proficient nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariona Terradas
- Hereditary Cancer Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology; Oncobell Programme, IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Stephanie A Schubert
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Julen Viana-Errasti
- Hereditary Cancer Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology; Oncobell Programme, IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Dina Ruano
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Gemma Aiza
- Hereditary Cancer Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology; Oncobell Programme, IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maartje Nielsen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Paula Marciel
- Hereditary Cancer Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology; Oncobell Programme, IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carli M Tops
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Genís Parra
- CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hans Morreau
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - David Torrents
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Monique E van Leerdam
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gabriel Capellá
- Hereditary Cancer Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology; Oncobell Programme, IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Laura Valle
- Hereditary Cancer Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology; Oncobell Programme, IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Tom van Wezel
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Department of Pathology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Geisler MS, Kemp JP, Duronio RJ. Histone locus bodies: a paradigm for how nuclear biomolecular condensates control cell cycle regulated gene expression. Nucleus 2023; 14:2293604. [PMID: 38095604 PMCID: PMC10730174 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2023.2293604] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Histone locus bodies (HLBs) are biomolecular condensates that assemble at replication-dependent (RD) histone genes in animal cells. These genes produce unique mRNAs that are not polyadenylated and instead end in a conserved 3' stem loop critical for coordinated production of histone proteins during S phase of the cell cycle. Several evolutionarily conserved factors necessary for synthesis of RD histone mRNAs concentrate only in the HLB. Moreover, because HLBs are present throughout the cell cycle even though RD histone genes are only expressed during S phase, changes in HLB composition during cell cycle progression drive much of the cell cycle regulation of RD histone gene expression. Thus, HLBs provide a powerful opportunity to determine the cause-and-effect relationships between nuclear body formation and cell cycle regulated gene expression. In this review, we focus on progress during the last five years that has advanced our understanding of HLB biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark S. Geisler
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - James P. Kemp
- Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Robert J. Duronio
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Takarada K, Kinoshita J, Inoue YH. Ectopic expression of matrix metalloproteinases and filopodia extension via JNK activation are involved in the invasion of blood tumor cells in Drosophila mxc mutant. Genes Cells 2023; 28:709-726. [PMID: 37615261 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.13060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila mxcmbn1 mutant exhibits severe hyperplasia in larval hematopoietic tissue called the lymph glands (LGs). However, the malignant nature of these cells remains unknown. We aimed to identify if mxcmbn1 LG cells behave as malignant tumor cells and uncover the mechanism(s) underlying the malignancy of the mutant hemocytes. When mutant LG cells were allografted into normal adult abdomens, they continued to proliferate; however, normal LG cells did not proliferate. Mutant circulating hemocytes also attached to the larval central nervous system (CNS), where the basement membrane was disrupted. The mutant hemocytes displayed higher expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 1 and MMP2 and higher activation of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway than normal hemocytes. Depletion of MMPs or JNK mRNAs in LGs resulted in reduced numbers of hemocytes attached to the CNS, suggesting that the invasive phenotype involved elevated expression of MMPs via hyperactivation of the JNK pathway. Moreover, hemocytes with elongated filopodia and extra lamellipodia were frequently observed in the mutant hemolymph, which also depended on JNK signaling. Thus, the MMP upregulation and overextension of actin-based cell protrusions were also involved in hemocyte invasion in mxcmbn1 larvae. These findings contribute to the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying mammalian leukemic invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuki Takarada
- Research Center of Biomedical Research, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Juri Kinoshita
- Research Center of Biomedical Research, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro H Inoue
- Research Center of Biomedical Research, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
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Kinoshita Y, Shiratsuchi N, Araki M, Inoue YH. Anti-Tumor Effect of Turandot Proteins Induced via the JAK/STAT Pathway in the mxc Hematopoietic Tumor Mutant in Drosophila. Cells 2023; 12:2047. [PMID: 37626857 PMCID: PMC10453024 DOI: 10.3390/cells12162047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Several antimicrobial peptides suppress the growth of lymph gland (LG) tumors in Drosophila multi sex comb (mxc) mutant larvae. The activity of another family of polypeptides, called Turandots, is also induced via the JAK/STAT pathway after bacterial infection; however, their influence on Drosophila tumors remains unclear. The JAK/STAT pathway was activated in LG tumors, fat body, and circulating hemocytes of mutant larvae. The mRNA levels of Turandot (Tot) genes increased markedly in the mutant fat body and declined upon silencing Stat92E in the fat body, indicating the involvement of the JAK/STAT pathway. Furthermore, significantly enhanced tumor growth upon a fat-body-specific silencing of the mRNAs demonstrated the antitumor effects of these proteins. The proteins were found to be incorporated into small vesicles in mutant circulating hemocytes (as previously reported for several antimicrobial peptides) but not normal cells. In addition, more hemocytes containing these proteins were found to be associated with tumors. The mutant LGs contained activated effector caspases, and a fat-body-specific silencing of Tots inhibited apoptosis and increased the number of mitotic cells in the LG, thereby suggesting that the proteins inhibited tumor cell proliferation. Thus, Tot proteins possibly exhibit antitumor effects via the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yoshihiro H. Inoue
- Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Mastugasaki, Kyoto 606-0962, Japan; (Y.K.); (N.S.); (M.A.)
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Sang R, Wu C, Xie S, Xu X, Lou Y, Ge W, Xi Y, Yang X. Mxc, a Drosophila homolog of mental retardation-associated gene NPAT, maintains neural stem cell fate. Cell Biosci 2022; 12:78. [PMID: 35642004 PMCID: PMC9153134 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-022-00820-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Mental retardation is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder. NPAT, a component of the histone locus body (HLB), has been implicated as a candidate gene for mental retardation, with a mechanism yet to be elucidated. Results We identified that mxc, the Drosophila ortholog of NPAT, is required for the development of nervous system. Knockdown of mxc resulted in a massive loss of neurons and locomotion dysfunction in adult flies. In the mxc mutant or RNAi knockdown larval brains, the neuroblast (NB, also known as neural stem cell) cell fate is prematurely terminated and its proliferation potential is impeded concurrent with the blocking of the differentiation process of ganglion mother cells (GMCs). A reduction of transcription levels of histone genes was shown in mxc knockdown larval brains, accompanied by DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). The subsidence of histone transcription levels leads to prematurely termination of NB cell fate and blockage of the GMC differentiation process. Our data also show that the increase in autophagy induced by mxc knockdown in NBs could be a defense mechanism in response to abnormal HLB assembly and premature termination of NB cell fate. Conclusions Our study demonstrate that Mxc plays a critical role in maintaining neural stem cell fate and GMC differentiation in the Drosophila larval brain. This discovery may shed light on the understanding of the pathogenesis of NPAT-related mental retardation in humans. Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13578-022-00820-8.
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Kinoshita S, Takarada K, Kinoshita Y, Inoue YH. Drosophila hemocytes recognize lymph gland tumors of mxc mutants and activate the innate immune pathway in a reactive oxygen species-dependent manner. Biol Open 2022; 11:277211. [PMID: 36226812 PMCID: PMC9641529 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059523] [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: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms of cancer cell recognition and elimination by the innate immune system remains unclear. The immune signaling pathways are activated in the fat body to suppress the tumor growth in mxcmbn1 hematopoietic tumor mutants in Drosophila by inducing antimicrobial peptides (AMP). Here, we investigated the regulatory mechanism underlying the activation in the mutant. Firstly, we found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated in the hemocytes due to induction of dual oxidase and one of its activators. This was required for the AMP induction and the tumor growth suppression. Next, more hemocytes transplanted from normal larvae were associated with the mutant tumor than normal lymph glands (LGs). Matrix metalloproteinase 1 and 2 (MMP2) were highly expressed in the tumors. The basement membrane components in the tumors were reduced and ultimately lost inside. Depletion of the MMP2 rather than MMP1 resulted in a significantly reduced AMP expression in the mutant larvae. The hemocytes may recognize the disassembly of basement membrane in the tumors and activate the ROS production. Our findings highlight the mechanism via which macrophage-like hemocytes recognize tumor cells and subsequently convey the information to induce AMPs in the fat body. They contribute to uncover the role of innate immune system against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzuko Kinoshita
- Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan
| | - Kazuki Takarada
- Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan
| | - Yuriko Kinoshita
- Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro H. Inoue
- Biomedical Research Center, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan,Author for correspondence ()
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Feng M, Swevers L, Sun J. Hemocyte Clusters Defined by scRNA-Seq in Bombyx mori: In Silico Analysis of Predicted Marker Genes and Implications for Potential Functional Roles. Front Immunol 2022; 13:852702. [PMID: 35281044 PMCID: PMC8914287 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.852702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the hemolymph, insect hemocytes constitute a heterogeneous population of macrophage-like cells that play important roles in innate immunity, homeostasis and development. Classification of hemocytes in different subtypes by size, morphology and biochemical or immunological markers has been difficult and only in Drosophila extensive genetic analysis allowed the construction of a coherent picture of hemocyte differentiation from pro-hemocytes to granulocytes, crystal cells and plasmatocytes. However, the advent of high-throughput single cell technologies, such as single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), is bound to have a high impact on the study of hemocytes subtypes and their phenotypes in other insects for which a sophisticated genetic toolbox is not available. Instead of averaging gene expression across all cells as occurs in bulk-RNA-seq, scRNA-seq allows high-throughput and specific visualization of the differentiation status of individual cells. With scRNA-seq, interesting cell types can be identified in heterogeneous populations and direct analysis of rare cell types is possible. Next to its ability to profile the transcriptomes of individual cells in tissue samples, scRNA-seq can be used to propose marker genes that are characteristic of different hemocyte subtypes and predict their functions. In this perspective, the identities of the different marker genes that were identified by scRNA-seq analysis to define 13 distinct cell clusters of hemocytes in larvae of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, are discussed in detail. The analysis confirms the broad division of hemocytes in granulocytes, plasmatocytes, oenocytoids and perhaps spherulocytes but also reveals considerable complexity at the molecular level and highly specialized functions. In addition, predicted hemocyte marker genes in Bombyx generally show only limited convergence with the genes that are considered characteristic for hemocyte subtypes in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Feng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Luc Swevers
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences & Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos", Aghia Paraskevi, Athens, Greece
| | - Jingchen Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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Kurihara M, Takarada K, Inoue YH. Enhancement of leukemia-like phenotypes in Drosophila mxc mutant larvae due to activation of the RAS-MAP kinase cascade possibly via down-regulation of DE-cadherin. Genes Cells 2020; 25:757-769. [PMID: 33012036 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Loss of mxc gene function in mature hemocytes of Drosophila mxcmbn1 mutant results in malignant hyperplasia in larval hematopoietic tissues termed lymph glands (LGs) owing to over-proliferation of immature cells. This is a useful model for genetic analyses of leukemia progression. To identify other mutations that deteriorate the hyperplasia, we aimed to investigate whether hyper-activation of common signaling cascade enabled to enhance the phenotypes. Ectopic expression of the constitutively active forms of MAPK signaling factors in the mutant increased the hyperplasia and the number of circulating hemocytes, resulting in the production of LG fragments. The LG phenotype was related to the reduced DE-cadherin level in the mutants. Depletion of Drosophila MCRIP, involved in MAPK-induced silencing of cadherin gene expression, exhibited a similar enhancement of the mxcmbn1 phenotypes. Furthermore, expression of MMP1 proteinase that cleaves the extracellular matrix proteins increased in the mutant larvae harboring MAPK cascade activation. Depletion of Mmp1 and that of pnt (required for Mmp1 expression) suppressed the LG hyperplasia. Hence, we speculated that reduction in DE-cadherin level by either down-regulation of MCRIP or up-regulation of MMP1 was involved in the progression of the tumor phenotype. Our findings can contribute to understanding the mechanism underlying human leukemia progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masanori Kurihara
- Department of Insect Biomedical Research, Center for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kazuki Takarada
- Department of Insect Biomedical Research, Center for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro H Inoue
- Department of Insect Biomedical Research, Center for Advanced Insect Research Promotion, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Kyoto, Japan
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Csordás G, Gábor E, Honti V. There and back again: The mechanisms of differentiation and transdifferentiation in Drosophila blood cells. Dev Biol 2020; 469:135-143. [PMID: 33131706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Transdifferentiation is a conversion of an already differentiated cell type into another cell type without the involvement of stem cells. This transition is well described in the case of vertebrate immune cells, as well as in Drosophila melanogaster, which therefore serves as a suitable model to study the process in detail. In the Drosophila larva, the latest single-cell sequencing methods enabled the clusterization of the phagocytic blood cells, the plasmatocytes, which are capable of transdifferentiation into encapsulating cells, the lamellocytes. Here we summarize the available data of the past years on the plasmatocyte-lamellocyte transition, and make an attempt to harmonize them with transcriptome-based blood cell clustering to better understand the underlying mechanisms of transdifferentiation in Drosophila, and in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Csordás
- Institute for Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Erika Gábor
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, H-6701, P.O.Box 521, Hungary.
| | - Viktor Honti
- Institute of Genetics, Biological Research Centre, Szeged, H-6701, P.O.Box 521, Hungary.
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