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Chen L, Ballout F, Lu H, Hu T, Zhu S, Chen Z, Peng D. Differential Expression of NEK Kinase Family Members in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma and Barrett's Esophagus. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4821. [PMID: 37835513 PMCID: PMC10571661 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194821] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has risen rapidly during the past four decades, making it the most common type of esophageal cancer in the USA and Western countries. The NEK (Never in mitosis A (NIMA) related kinase) gene family is a group of serine/threonine kinases with 11 members. Aberrant expression of NEKs has been recently found in a variety of human cancers and plays important roles in tumorigenesis, progression, and drug-resistance. However, the expression of the NEKs in EAC and its precancerous condition (Barrett's esophagus, BE) has not been investigated. In the present study, we first analyzed the TCGA and 9 GEO databases (a total of 10 databases in which 8 contain EAC and 6 contain BE) using bioinformatic approaches for NEKs expression in EAC and BE. We identified that several NEK members, such as NEK2 (7/8), NEK3 (6/8), and NEK6 (6/8), were significantly upregulated in EAC as compared to normal esophagus samples. Alternatively, NEK1 was downregulated in EAC as compared to the normal esophagus. On the contrary, genomic alterations of these NEKs are not frequent in EAC. We validated the above findings using qRT-PCR and the protein expression of NEKs in EAC cell lines using Western blotting and in primary EAC tissues using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Our data suggest that frequent upregulation of NEK2, NEK3, and NEK7 may be important in EAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Chen
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
| | - Farah Ballout
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
| | - Heng Lu
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Tianling Hu
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
| | - Shoumin Zhu
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
| | - Zheng Chen
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Dunfa Peng
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (L.C.); (F.B.); (H.L.); (T.H.); (S.Z.); (Z.C.)
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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Population-based Targeted RNA Sequencing Reveals Novel Disease-related Gene Fusions in pediatric and adult T-ALL. Leuk Res 2022; 116:106825. [DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2022.106825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Steffens Reinhardt L, Moira Morás A, Gustavo Henn J, Ricardo Arantes P, Bernardes Ferro M, Braganhol E, Oliveira de Souza P, de Oliveira Merib J, Ramos Borges G, Silveira Dalanhol C, Cox Holanda de Barros Dias M, Nugent M, Jaqueline Moura D. Nek1-inhibitor and temozolomide-loaded microfibers as a co-therapy strategy for glioblastoma treatment. Int J Pharm 2022; 617:121584. [PMID: 35202726 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.121584] [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: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Malignant glioblastoma (GB) is the predominant primary brain tumour in adults, but despite the efforts towards novel therapies, the median survival of GB patients has not significantly improved in the last decades. Therefore, localised approaches that treat GB straight into the tumour site provide an alternative to enhance chemotherapy bioavailability and efficacy, reducing systemic toxicity. Likewise, the discovery of protein targets, such as the NIMA-related kinase 1 (Nek1), which was previously shown to be associated with temozolomide (TMZ) resistance in GB, has stimulated the clinical development of target therapy approaches to treat GB patients. In this study, we report an electrospun polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) microfiber (MF) brain-implant prepared for the controlled release of Nek1 protein inhibitor (iNek1) and TMZ or TMZ-loaded nanoparticles. The formulations revealed adequate stability and drug loading, which prolonged the drugs' release allowing a sustained exposure of the GB cells to the treatment and enhancing the drugs' therapeutic effects. TMZ-loaded MF provided the highest concentration of TMZ within the brain of tumour-bearing rats, and it was statistically significant when compared to TMZ via intraperitoneal (IP). All animals treated with either co-therapy formulation (TMZ + iNek1 MF or TMZ nanoparticles + iNek1 MF) survived until the endpoint (60 days), whereas the Blank MF (drug-unloaded), TMZ MF and TMZ IP-treated rats' median survival was found to be 16, 31 and 25 days, respectively. The tumour/brain area ratio of the rats implanted with either MF co-therapy was found to be reduced by 5-fold when compared to Blank MF-implanted rats. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that Nek1 is an important GB oncotarget and the inhibition of Nek1's activity significantly decreases GB cells' viability and tumour size when combined with TMZ treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiza Steffens Reinhardt
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Biosciences Graduation Course, UFCSPA, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Ana Moira Morás
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Biosciences Graduation Course, UFCSPA, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Jeferson Gustavo Henn
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Biosciences Graduation Course, UFCSPA, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | | | - Matheus Bernardes Ferro
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Elizandra Braganhol
- Biosciences Graduation Course, UFCSPA, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Michael Nugent
- Materials Research Institute, TUS, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, Ireland.
| | - Dinara Jaqueline Moura
- Laboratory of Genetic Toxicology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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Yang M, Guo Y, Guo X, Mao Y, Zhu S, Wang N, Lu D. Analysis of the effect of NEKs on the prognosis of patients with non-small-cell lung carcinoma based on bioinformatics. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1705. [PMID: 35105934 PMCID: PMC8807624 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05728-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
NEKs are proteins that are involved in various cell processes and play important roles in the formation and development of cancer. However, few studies have examined the role of NEKs in the development of non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). To address this problem, the Oncomine, UALCAN, and the Human Protein Atlas databases were used to analyze differential NEK expression and its clinicopathological parameters, while the Kaplan-Meier, cBioPortal, GEPIA, and DAVID databases were used to analyze survival, gene mutations, similar genes, and biological enrichments. The rate of NEK family gene mutation was high (> 50%) in patients with NSCLC, in which NEK2/4/6/8/ was overexpressed and significantly correlated with tumor stage and nodal metastasis status. In addition, the high expression of NEK2/3mRNA was significantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC, while high expression of NEK1/4/6/7/8/9/10/11mRNA was associated with good prognosis. In summary, these results suggest that NEK2/4/6/8 may be a potential prognostic biomarker for the survival of patients with NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxia Yang
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China.,Department of Oncology, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100102, People's Republic of China
| | - Yikun Guo
- Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaofei Guo
- Department of Oncology, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100102, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun Mao
- Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410005, People's Republic of China
| | - Shijie Zhu
- Department of Oncology, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100102, People's Republic of China
| | - Ningjun Wang
- Department of Oncology, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100102, People's Republic of China.
| | - Dianrong Lu
- Department of Oncology, Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100102, People's Republic of China.
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Melo-Hanchuk TD, Kobarg J. Polyglutamylase activity of tubulin tyrosine ligase-like 4 is negatively regulated by the never in mitosis gene A family kinase never in mitosis gene A -related kinase 5. World J Biol Chem 2021; 12:38-51. [PMID: 34084286 PMCID: PMC8160597 DOI: 10.4331/wjbc.v12.i3.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tubulins, building blocks of microtubules, are modified substrates of diverse post-translational modifications including phosphorylation, polyglycylation and polyglutamylation. Polyglutamylation of microtubules, catalyzed by enzymes from the tubulin tyrosine ligase-like (TTLL) family, can regulate interactions with molecular motors and other proteins. Due to the diversity and functional importance of microtubule modifications, strict control of the TTLL enzymes has been suggested.
AIM To characterize the interaction between never in mitosis gene A-related kinase 5 (NEK5) and TTLL4 proteins and the effects of TTLL4 phosphorylation.
METHODS The interaction between NEK5 and TTLL4 was identified by yeast two-hybrid screening using the C-terminus of NEK5 (a.a. 260–708) as bait and confirmed by immunoprecipitation. The phosphorylation sites of TTLL4 were identified by mass spectrometry and point mutations were introduced.
RESULTS Here, we show that NEK5 interacts with TTLL4 and regulates its polyglutamylation activity. We further show that NEK5 can also interact with TTLL5 and TTLL7. The silencing of NEK5 increases the levels of polyglutamylation of proteins by increasing the activity of TTLL4. The same effects were observed after the expression of the catalytically inactive form of NEK5. This regulation of TTLL4 activity involves its phosphorylation at Y815 and S1136 amino acid residues.
CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate, for the first time, the regulation of TTLL activity through phosphorylation, pointing to NEK5 as a potential effector kinase. We also suggest a general control of tubulin polyglutamylation through NEK family members in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jörg Kobarg
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-862, Brazil
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6
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Pavan ICB, Peres de Oliveira A, Dias PRF, Basei FL, Issayama LK, Ferezin CDC, Silva FR, Rodrigues de Oliveira AL, Alves dos Reis Moura L, Martins MB, Simabuco FM, Kobarg J. On Broken Ne(c)ks and Broken DNA: The Role of Human NEKs in the DNA Damage Response. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030507. [PMID: 33673578 PMCID: PMC7997185 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030507] [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: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
NIMA-related kinases, or NEKs, are a family of Ser/Thr protein kinases involved in cell cycle and mitosis, centrosome disjunction, primary cilia functions, and DNA damage responses among other biological functional contexts in vertebrate cells. In human cells, there are 11 members, termed NEK1 to 11, and the research has mainly focused on exploring the more predominant roles of NEKs in mitosis regulation and cell cycle. A possible important role of NEKs in DNA damage response (DDR) first emerged for NEK1, but recent studies for most NEKs showed participation in DDR. A detailed analysis of the protein interactions, phosphorylation events, and studies of functional aspects of NEKs from the literature led us to propose a more general role of NEKs in DDR. In this review, we express that NEK1 is an activator of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR), and its activation results in cell cycle arrest, guaranteeing DNA repair while activating specific repair pathways such as homology repair (HR) and DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. For NEK2, 6, 8, 9, and 11, we found a role downstream of ATR and ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) that results in cell cycle arrest, but details of possible activated repair pathways are still being investigated. NEK4 shows a connection to the regulation of the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair of DNA DSBs, through recruitment of DNA-PK to DNA damage foci. NEK5 interacts with topoisomerase IIβ, and its knockdown results in the accumulation of damaged DNA. NEK7 has a regulatory role in the detection of oxidative damage to telomeric DNA. Finally, NEK10 has recently been shown to phosphorylate p53 at Y327, promoting cell cycle arrest after exposure to DNA damaging agents. In summary, this review highlights important discoveries of the ever-growing involvement of NEK kinases in the DDR pathways. A better understanding of these roles may open new diagnostic possibilities or pharmaceutical interventions regarding the chemo-sensitizing inhibition of NEKs in various forms of cancer and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isadora Carolina Betim Pavan
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Andressa Peres de Oliveira
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Pedro Rafael Firmino Dias
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Fernanda Luisa Basei
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Luidy Kazuo Issayama
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Camila de Castro Ferezin
- Graduate Program in “Biologia Funcional e Molecular”, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-857, Brazil;
| | - Fernando Riback Silva
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Ana Luisa Rodrigues de Oliveira
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Lívia Alves dos Reis Moura
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Mariana Bonjiorno Martins
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
- Graduate Program in “Biologia Funcional e Molecular”, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-857, Brazil;
| | | | - Jörg Kobarg
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
- Graduate Program in “Biologia Funcional e Molecular”, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-857, Brazil;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-19-3521-8143
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Qarri A, Rosner A, Rabinowitz C, Rinkevich B. UV-B radiation bearings on ephemeral soma in the shallow water tunicate Botryllus schlosseri. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2020; 196:110489. [PMID: 32278137 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.110489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Sedentary shallow water marine organisms acquire numerous protective mechanisms to mitigate the detrimental effects of UV radiation (UV-R). Here we investigated morphological and gene expression outcomes in colonies of the cosmopolitan ascidian Botryllus schlosseri, up to 15-days post UV-B irradiation. Astogeny in Botryllus is characterized by weekly repeating sets of asexual budding, coinciding with apoptotic elimination of functional zooids (blastogenesis). Ten UV-B doses were administered to three clusters: sublethal, enhanced-mortality, lethal (LD50 = 6.048 kJ/m2) which differed in mortality rates, yet reflected similar distorted morphotypes, and arrested blastogenesis, all intensified in the enhanced-mortality/lethal clusters. Even the sub-lethal doses inflicted expression modifications in 8 stress proteins (HSP 90/70 families and NIMA) as well as morphological blastogenesis. The morphological/gene-expression impacts in surviving colonies lasted for 15 days post irradiation (two blastogenic-cycles), where all damaged and arrested zooids/buds were absorbed, after which the colonies returned to their normal blastogenic-cycles and gene expression profiles, and initiated new buds. The above reflects a novel colonial maintenance strategy associated with the disposable-soma tenet, where the ephemeral soma in Botryllus is eliminated without engaging with the costs of repair, whereas other colonial components, primarily the pool of totipotent stem cells, are sustained under yet unknown colonial-level regulatory cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Qarri
- Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, POB 8030, Tel Shikmona, 31080, Haifa, Israel; The Department of Maritime Civilizations, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
| | - Amalia Rosner
- Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, POB 8030, Tel Shikmona, 31080, Haifa, Israel
| | - Claudette Rabinowitz
- Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, POB 8030, Tel Shikmona, 31080, Haifa, Israel
| | - Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, POB 8030, Tel Shikmona, 31080, Haifa, Israel
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8
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Melo-Hanchuk TD, Slepicka PF, Pelegrini AL, Menck CFM, Kobarg J. NEK5 interacts with topoisomerase IIβ and is involved in the DNA damage response induced by etoposide. J Cell Biochem 2019; 120:16853-16866. [PMID: 31090963 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.28943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cells are daily submitted to high levels of DNA lesions that trigger complex pathways and cellular responses by cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, alterations in transcriptional response, and the onset of DNA repair. Members of the NIMA-related kinase (NEK) family have been related to DNA damage response and repair and the first insight about NEK5 in this context is related to its role in centrosome separation resulting in defects in chromosome integrity. Here we investigate the potential correlation between NEK5 and the DNA damage repair index. The effect of NEK5 in double-strand breaks caused by etoposide was accessed by alkaline comet assay and revealed that NEK5-silenced cells are more sensitive to etoposide treatment. Topoisomerase IIβ (TOPIIβ) is a target of etoposide that leads to the production of DNA breaks. We demonstrate that NEK5 interacts with TOPIIβ, and the dynamics of this interaction is evaluated by proximity ligation assay. The complex NEK5/TOPIIβ is formed immediately after etoposide treatment. Taken together, the results of our study reveal that NEK5 depletion increases DNA damage and impairs proper DNA damage response, pointing out NEK5 as a potential kinase contributor to genomic stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talita Diniz Melo-Hanchuk
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Priscila Ferreira Slepicka
- Laboratório Nacional de Biociências, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Luiza Pelegrini
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Jörg Kobarg
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.,Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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9
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Brieño-Enríquez MA, Moak SL, Holloway JK, Cohen PE. NIMA-related kinase 1 (NEK1) regulates meiosis I spindle assembly by altering the balance between α-Adducin and Myosin X. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185780. [PMID: 28982183 PMCID: PMC5628868 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
NIMA-related kinase 1 (NEK1) is a serine/threonine and tyrosine kinase that is highly expressed in mammalian germ cells. Mutations in Nek1 induce anemia, polycystic kidney and infertility. In this study we evaluated the role of NEK1 in meiotic spindle formation in both male and female gametes. Our results show that the lack of NEK1 provokes an abnormal organization of the meiosis I spindle characterized by elongated and/or multipolar spindles, and abnormal chromosome congression. The aberrant spindle structure is concomitant with the disruption in localization and protein levels of myosin X (MYO10) and α-adducin (ADD1), both of which are implicated in the regulation of spindle formation during mitosis. Interaction of ADD1 with MYO10 is dependent on phosphorylation, whereby phosphorylation of ADD1 enables its binding to MYO10 on mitotic spindles. Reduction in ADD1 protein in NEK1 mutant mice is associated with hyperphosphorylation of ADD1, thereby preventing the interaction with MYO10 during meiotic spindle formation. Our results reveal a novel regulatory role for NEK1 in the regulation of spindle architecture and function during meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Brieño-Enríquez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Reproductive Genomics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Stefannie L. Moak
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Reproductive Genomics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - J. Kim Holloway
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Reproductive Genomics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Paula E. Cohen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Center for Reproductive Genomics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
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10
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NEK1 kinase domain structure and its dynamic protein interactome after exposure to Cisplatin. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5445. [PMID: 28710492 PMCID: PMC5511132 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05325-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
NEK family kinases are serine/threonine kinases that have been functionally implicated in the regulation of the disjunction of the centrosome, the assembly of the mitotic spindle, the function of the primary cilium and the DNA damage response. NEK1 shows pleiotropic functions and has been found to be mutated in cancer cells, ciliopathies such as the polycystic kidney disease, as well as in the genetic diseases short-rib thoracic dysplasia, Mohr-syndrome and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. NEK1 is essential for the ionizing radiation DNA damage response and priming of the ATR kinase and of Rad54 through phosphorylation. Here we report on the structure of the kinase domain of human NEK1 in its apo- and ATP-mimetic inhibitor bound forms. The inhibitor bound structure may allow the design of NEK specific chemo-sensitizing agents to act in conjunction with chemo- or radiation therapy of cancer cells. Furthermore, we characterized the dynamic protein interactome of NEK1 after DNA damage challenge with cisplatin. Our data suggest that NEK1 and its interaction partners trigger the DNA damage pathways responsible for correcting DNA crosslinks.
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11
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Zhu J, Cai Y, Liu P, Zhao W. Frequent Nek1 overexpression in human gliomas. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2016; 476:522-527. [PMID: 27251576 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.05.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Never in mitosis A (NIMA)-related kinase 1 (Nek1) regulates cell cycle progression to mitosis. Its expression and potential functions in human gliomas have not been studied. Here, our immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay and Western blot assay results showed that Nek1 expression was significantly upregulated in fresh and paraffin-embedded human glioma tissues. Its level in normal brain tissues was low. Nek1 overexpression in human gliomas was correlated with the proliferation marker (Ki-67), tumor grade, Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) and more importantly, patients' poor survival. Further studies showed that Nek1 expression level was also increased in multiple human glioma cell lines (U251-MG, U87-MG, U118, H4 and U373). Significantly, siRNA-mediated knockdown of Nek1 inhibited glioma cell (U87-MG/U251-MG) growth. Nek1 siRNA also sensitized U87-MG/U251-MG cells to temozolomide (TMZ), causing a profound apoptosis induction and growth inhibition. The current study indicates Nek1 might be a novel and valuable oncotarget of glioma, it is important for glioma cell growth and TMZ-resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Zhu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Neurosurgery Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Cai
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Neurosurgery Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Pin Liu
- Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weiguo Zhao
- Neurosurgery Department, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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12
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Casey JP, Brennan K, Scheidel N, McGettigan P, Lavin PT, Carter S, Ennis S, Dorkins H, Ghali N, Blacque OE, Mc Gee MM, Murphy H, Lynch SA. Recessive NEK9 mutation causes a lethal skeletal dysplasia with evidence of cell cycle and ciliary defects. Hum Mol Genet 2016; 25:1824-35. [PMID: 26908619 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddw054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Skeletal dysplasias are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of bone and cartilage disorders. Whilst >450 skeletal dysplasias have been reported, 30% are genetically uncharacterized. We report two Irish Traveller families with a previously undescribed lethal skeletal dysplasia characterized by fetal akinesia, shortening of all long bones, multiple contractures, rib anomalies, thoracic dysplasia, pulmonary hypoplasia and protruding abdomen. Single nucleotide polymorphism homozygosity mapping and whole exome sequencing identified a novel homozygous stop-gain mutation in NEK9 (c.1489C>T; p.Arg497*) as the cause of this disorder. NEK9 encodes a never in mitosis gene A-related kinase involved in regulating spindle organization, chromosome alignment, cytokinesis and cell cycle progression. This is the first disorder to be associated with NEK9 in humans. Analysis of NEK9 protein expression and localization in patient fibroblasts showed complete loss of full-length NEK9 (107 kDa). Functional characterization of patient fibroblasts showed a significant reduction in cell proliferation and a delay in cell cycle progression. We also provide evidence to support possible ciliary associations for NEK9. Firstly, patient fibroblasts displayed a significant reduction in cilia number and length. Secondly, we show that the NEK9 orthologue in Caenorhabditis elegans, nekl-1, is almost exclusively expressed in a subset of ciliated cells, a strong indicator of cilia-related functions. In summary, we report the clinical and molecular characterization of a lethal skeletal dysplasia caused by NEK9 mutation and suggest that this disorder may represent a novel ciliopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian P Casey
- Clinical Genetics, Children's University Hospital, Temple Street, Dublin 1, Ireland, UCD Academic Centre on Rare Diseases, School of Medicine and Medical Sciences,
| | - Kieran Brennan
- UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, Conway Institute
| | - Noemie Scheidel
- UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, Conway Institute
| | - Paul McGettigan
- UCD Academic Centre on Rare Diseases, School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, UCD School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Paul T Lavin
- UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, Conway Institute
| | - Stephen Carter
- UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, Conway Institute
| | - Sean Ennis
- UCD Academic Centre on Rare Diseases, School of Medicine and Medical Sciences
| | - Huw Dorkins
- North West Thames Regional Genetics Service, Northwick Park Hospital, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, Watford Road, Harrow HA1 3UJ, UK, Leicestershire Genetics Service, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester LE1 5WW, UK, St Peter's College, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2DL, UK and
| | - Neeti Ghali
- North West Thames Regional Genetics Service, Northwick Park Hospital, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, Watford Road, Harrow HA1 3UJ, UK
| | - Oliver E Blacque
- UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science, Conway Institute
| | | | - Helen Murphy
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Genetic Medicine-University of Manchester, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK
| | - Sally Ann Lynch
- Clinical Genetics, Children's University Hospital, Temple Street, Dublin 1, Ireland, UCD Academic Centre on Rare Diseases, School of Medicine and Medical Sciences
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13
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Zhu S, Pabla N, Tang C, He L, Dong Z. DNA damage response in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Arch Toxicol 2015; 89:2197-205. [PMID: 26564230 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-015-1633-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Cisplatin and its derivatives are widely used chemotherapeutic drugs for cancer treatment. However, they have debilitating side effects in normal tissues and induce ototoxicity, neurotoxicity, and nephrotoxicity. In kidneys, cisplatin preferentially accumulates in renal tubular cells causing tubular cell injury and death, resulting in acute kidney injury (AKI). Recent studies have suggested that DNA damage and the associated DNA damage response (DDR) are an important pathogenic mechanism of AKI following cisplatin treatment. Activation of DDR may lead to cell cycle arrest and DNA repair for cell survival or, in the presence of severe injury, kidney cell death. Modulation of DDR may provide novel renoprotective strategies for cancer patients undergoing cisplatin chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyao Zhu
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Navjotsingh Pabla
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Chengyuan Tang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Liyu He
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zheng Dong
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University and Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, 1459 Laney Walker Blvd, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA.
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14
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Saloura V, Cho HS, Kiyotani K, Alachkar H, Zuo Z, Nakakido M, Tsunoda T, Seiwert T, Lingen M, Licht J, Nakamura Y, Hamamoto R. WHSC1 promotes oncogenesis through regulation of NIMA-related kinase-7 in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Mol Cancer Res 2014; 13:293-304. [PMID: 25280969 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-14-0292-t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is a relatively common malignancy with suboptimal long-term prognosis, thus new treatment strategies are urgently needed. Over the last decade, histone methyltransferases (HMT) have been recognized as promising targets for cancer therapy, but their mechanism of action in most solid tumors, including SCCHN, remains to be elucidated. This study investigated the role of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome candidate 1 (WHSC1), an NSD family HMT, in SCCHN. Immunohistochemical analysis of locoregionally advanced SCCHN, dysplastic, and normal epithelial tissue specimens revealed that WHSC1 expression and dimethylation of histone H3 lysine 36 (H3K36me2) were significantly higher in SCCHN tissues than in normal epithelium. Both WHSC1 expression and H3K36me2 levels were significantly correlated with histologic grade. WHSC1 knockdown in multiple SCCHN cell lines resulted in significant growth suppression, induction of apoptosis, and delay of the cell-cycle progression. Immunoblot and immunocytochemical analyses in SCCHN cells demonstrated that WHSC1 induced H3K36me2 and H3K36me3. Microarray expression profile analysis revealed NIMA-related kinase-7 (NEK7) to be a downstream target gene of WHSC1, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays showed that NEK7 was directly regulated by WHSC1 through H3K36me2. Furthermore, similar to WHSC1, NEK7 knockdown significantly reduced cell-cycle progression, indicating that NEK7 is a key player in the molecular pathway regulated by WHSC1. IMPLICATIONS WHSC1 possesses oncogenic functions in SCCHN and represents a potential molecular target for the treatment of SCCHN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassiliki Saloura
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Hyun-Soo Cho
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Genomics Structure Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, 305-333, Republic of Korea
| | - Kazuma Kiyotani
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Houda Alachkar
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Zhixiang Zuo
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Makoto Nakakido
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Tatsuhiko Tsunoda
- Laboratory for Medical Science Mathematics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tanguy Seiwert
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Mark Lingen
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Jonathan Licht
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Yusuke Nakamura
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Ryuji Hamamoto
- Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
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15
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Meirelles GV, Perez AM, de Souza EE, Basei FL, Papa PF, Melo Hanchuk TD, Cardoso VB, Kobarg J. “Stop Ne(c)king around”: How interactomics contributes to functionally characterize Nek family kinases. World J Biol Chem 2014; 5:141-160. [PMID: 24921005 PMCID: PMC4050109 DOI: 10.4331/wjbc.v5.i2.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2013] [Revised: 01/07/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Aside from Polo and Aurora, a third but less studied kinase family involved in mitosis regulation is the never in mitosis-gene A (NIMA)-related kinases (Neks). The founding member of this family is the sole member NIMA of Aspergillus nidulans, which is crucial for the initiation of mitosis in that organism. All 11 human Neks have been functionally assigned to one of the three core functions established for this family in mammals: (1) centrioles/mitosis; (2) primary ciliary function/ciliopathies; and (3) DNA damage response (DDR). Recent findings, especially on Nek 1 and 8, showed however, that several Neks participate in parallel in at least two of these contexts: primary ciliary function and DDR. In the core section of this in-depth review, we report the current detailed functional knowledge on each of the 11 Neks. In the discussion, we return to the cross-connections among Neks and point out how our and other groups’ functional and interactomics studies revealed that most Neks interact with protein partners associated with two if not all three of the functional contexts. We then raise the hypothesis that Neks may be the connecting regulatory elements that allow the cell to fine tune and synchronize the cellular events associated with these three core functions. The new and exciting findings on the Nek family open new perspectives and should allow the Neks to finally claim the attention they deserve in the field of kinases and cell cycle biology.
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16
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Pimentel H, Parra M, Gee S, Ghanem D, An X, Li J, Mohandas N, Pachter L, Conboy JG. A dynamic alternative splicing program regulates gene expression during terminal erythropoiesis. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:4031-42. [PMID: 24442673 PMCID: PMC3973340 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkt1388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative pre-messenger RNA splicing remodels the human transcriptome in a spatiotemporal manner during normal development and differentiation. Here we explored the landscape of transcript diversity in the erythroid lineage by RNA-seq analysis of five highly purified populations of morphologically distinct human erythroblasts, representing the last four cell divisions before enucleation. In this unique differentiation system, we found evidence of an extensive and dynamic alternative splicing program encompassing genes with many diverse functions. Alternative splicing was particularly enriched in genes controlling cell cycle, organelle organization, chromatin function and RNA processing. Many alternative exons exhibited differentiation-associated switches in splicing efficiency, mostly in late-stage polychromatophilic and orthochromatophilic erythroblasts, in concert with extensive cellular remodeling that precedes enucleation. A subset of alternative splicing switches introduces premature translation termination codons into selected transcripts in a differentiation stage-specific manner, supporting the hypothesis that alternative splicing-coupled nonsense-mediated decay contributes to regulation of erythroid-expressed genes as a novel part of the overall differentiation program. We conclude that a highly dynamic alternative splicing program in terminally differentiating erythroblasts plays a major role in regulating gene expression to ensure synthesis of appropriate proteome at each stage as the cells remodel in preparation for production of mature red cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harold Pimentel
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA, Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA, Red Cell Physiology Laboratory, New York Blood Center, New York, NY 10065, USA, Department of Mathematics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA and Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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