Issue published May 15, 2024 Previous issue | Next issue
- Volume 134, Issue 10
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On the cover: STING activation sensitizes malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors to immunotherapy
Somatilaka et al. report that upregulating the STING signaling pathway in NF1-related malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) leads to T cell infiltration into the microenvironment. This reprogramming of the MPNST microenvironment sensitized tumors to destruction that is enhanced by immune checkpoint blockade. The cover art shows an MPNST (blue) targeted for immune destruction by infiltrating T cells (pink). Image credit: Bandarigoda Somatilaka.
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100th Anniversary Viewpoints
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Abstract
Authors
Yiran Hou, Anna Huttenlocher
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Review Series
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Abstract
Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) encompasses a heterogeneous group of age-related small vessel pathologies that affect multiple regions. Disease manifestations range from lesions incidentally detected on neuroimaging (white matter hyperintensities, small deep infarcts, microbleeds, or enlarged perivascular spaces) to severe disability and cognitive impairment. cSVD accounts for approximately 25% of ischemic strokes and the vast majority of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage and is also the most important vascular contributor to dementia. Despite its high prevalence and potentially long therapeutic window, there are still no mechanism-based treatments. Here, we provide an overview of the recent advances in this field. We summarize recent data highlighting the remarkable continuum between monogenic and multifactorial cSVDs involving NOTCH3, HTRA1, and COL4A1/A2 genes. Taking a vessel-centric view, we discuss possible cause-and-effect relationships between risk factors, structural and functional vessel changes, and disease manifestations, underscoring some major knowledge gaps. Although endothelial dysfunction is rightly considered a central feature of cSVD, the contributions of smooth muscle cells, pericytes, and other perivascular cells warrant continued investigation.
Authors
Nicolas Dupré, Antoine Drieu, Anne Joutel
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Molecular characterization of vascular anomalies has revealed that affected endothelial cells (ECs) harbor gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in the gene encoding the catalytic α subunit of PI3Kα (PIK3CA). These PIK3CA mutations are known to cause solid cancers when occurring in other tissues. PIK3CA-related vascular anomalies, or “PIKopathies,” range from simple, i.e., restricted to a particular form of malformation, to complex, i.e., presenting with a range of hyperplasia phenotypes, including the PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum. Interestingly, development of PIKopathies is affected by fluid shear stress (FSS), a physiological stimulus caused by blood or lymph flow. These findings implicate PI3K in mediating physiological EC responses to FSS conditions characteristic of lymphatic and capillary vessel beds. Consistent with this hypothesis, increased PI3K signaling also contributes to cerebral cavernous malformations, a vascular disorder that affects low-perfused brain venous capillaries. Because the GOF activity of PI3K and its signaling partners are excellent drug targets, understanding PIK3CA’s role in the development of vascular anomalies may inform therapeutic strategies to normalize EC responses in the diseased state. This Review focuses on PIK3CA’s role in mediating EC responses to FSS and discusses current understanding of PIK3CA dysregulation in a range of vascular anomalies that particularly affect low-perfused regions of the vasculature. We also discuss recent surprising findings linking increased PI3K signaling to fast-flow arteriovenous malformations in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasias.
Authors
Salim Abdelilah-Seyfried, Roxana Ola
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Commentaries
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Abstract
Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is an inherited cardiac condition characterized by cardiac remodeling and life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. In this issue of the JCI, Chelko, Penna, and colleagues mechanistically addressed the intricate contribution of immune-mediated injury in ACM pathogenesis. Inhibition of nuclear factor κ-B (NF-κB) and infiltration of monocyte-derived macrophages expressing C-C motif chemokine receptor-2 (CCR2) alleviated the phenotypic ACM features (i.e., fibrofatty replacement, contractile dysfunction, and ventricular arrhythmias) in desmoglein 2–mutant (Dsg2mut/mut) mice. These findings pave the way for efficacious and targetable immune therapy for patients with ACM.
Authors
Thassio Mesquita, Eugenio Cingolani
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Pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is severe, noncardiac hypoxemic respiratory failure that carries a substantial risk of death. Given the complexity of this clinically defined syndrome and the repeated failure of therapeutic trials, there has been an effort to identify subphenotypes of ARDS that may share targetable mechanisms of disease. In this issue of the JCI, Yehya and colleagues measured 19 plasma biomarkers in 279 children over the first seven days of ARDS. Increases in select tissue injury makers and inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood were associated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and death, but not persistent ARDS. These findings argue that splitting patients by clinical and molecular phenotype may be more informative than lumping them under the umbrella diagnosis of ARDS. However, future studies are needed to determine whether these plasma factors represent targetable pathways in lung injury or are a consequence of systemic organ dysfunction.
Authors
Ashley A. Zurawel, Bria M. Coates
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Idiopathic systemic capillary leak syndrome (ISCLS) is a rare, recurrent condition with dramatically increased blood vessel permeability and, therefore, induction of systemic edema, which may lead to organ damage and death. In this issue of the JCI, Ablooglu et al. showed that ISCLS vessels were hypersensitive to agents known to increase vascular permeability, using human biopsies, cell culture, and mouse models. Several endothelium-specific proteins that regulate endothelial junctions were dysregulated and thereby compromised the vascular barrier. These findings suggest that endothelium-intrinsic dysregulation underlies hyperpermeability and implicate the cytoplasmic serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) as a potential drug target for the treatment of ISCLS.
Authors
Emmanuel Nwadozi, Lena Claesson-Welsh
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Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents a formidable challenge in oncology due to its aggressive phenotype and the immunosuppressive nature of its tumor microenvironment (TME). In this issue of the JCI, Zhu, Banerjee, and colleagues investigated the potential of targeting the OTU domain-containing protein 4 (OTUD4)/CD73 axis to mitigate immunosuppression in TNBC. They identified elevated CD73 expression as a hallmark of immunosuppression in TNBC. Notably, the CD73 expression was regulated by OTUD4-mediated posttranslational modifications. Using ST80, a pharmacologic inhibitor of OTUD4, the authors demonstrated the restoration of cytotoxic T cell function and enhanced efficacy of anti-PD-L1 therapy in preclinical models. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of targeting the OTUD4/CD73 axis in TNBC.
Authors
Emanuela Marchese, Shadmehr Demehri
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Research Articles
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Abstract
Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling is a core pathway of fibrosis, but the molecular regulation of the activation of latent TGF-β remains incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate a crucial role of WNT5A/JNK/ROCK signaling that rapidly coordinates the activation of latent TGF-β in fibrotic diseases. WNT5A was identified as a predominant noncanonical WNT ligand in fibrotic diseases such as systemic sclerosis, sclerodermatous chronic graft-versus-host disease, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, stimulating fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition and tissue fibrosis by activation of latent TGF-β. The activation of latent TGF-β requires rapid JNK- and ROCK-dependent cytoskeletal rearrangements and integrin αV (ITGAV). Conditional ablation of WNT5A or its downstream targets prevented activation of latent TGF-β, rebalanced TGF-β signaling, and ameliorated experimental fibrosis. We thus uncovered what we believe to be a novel mechanism for the aberrant activation of latent TGF-β in fibrotic diseases and provided evidence for targeting WNT5A/JNK/ROCK signaling in fibrotic diseases as a new therapeutic approach.
Authors
Thuong Trinh-Minh, Chih-Wei Chen, Cuong Tran Manh, Yi-Nan Li, Honglin Zhu, Xiang Zhou, Debomita Chakraborty, Yun Zhang, Simon Rauber, Clara Dees, Neng-Yu Lin, Delf Kah, Richard Gerum, Christina Bergmann, Alexander Kreuter, Christiane Reuter, Florian Groeber-Becker, Beate Eckes, Oliver Distler, Ben Fabry, Andreas Ramming, Alexandra Schambony, Georg Schett, Jörg H.W. Distler
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Elevated bone resorption and diminished bone formation have been recognized as the primary features of glucocorticoid-associated skeletal disorders. However, the direct effects of excess glucocorticoids on bone turnover remain unclear. Here, we explored the outcomes of exogenous glucocorticoid treatment on bone loss and delayed fracture healing in mice and found that reduced bone turnover was a dominant feature, resulting in a net loss of bone mass. The primary effect of glucocorticoids on osteogenic differentiation was not inhibitory; instead, they cooperated with macrophages to facilitate osteogenesis. Impaired local nutrient status — notably, obstructed fatty acid transportation — was a key factor contributing to glucocorticoid-induced impairment of bone turnover in vivo. Furthermore, fatty acid oxidation in macrophages fueled the ability of glucocorticoid-liganded receptors to enter the nucleus and then promoted the expression of BMP2, a key cytokine that facilitates osteogenesis. Metabolic reprogramming by localized fatty acid delivery partly rescued glucocorticoid-induced pathology by restoring a healthier immune-metabolic milieu. These data provide insights into the multifactorial metabolic mechanisms by which glucocorticoids generate skeletal disorders, thus suggesting possible therapeutic avenues.
Authors
Xu Li, Tongzhou Liang, Bingyang Dai, Liang Chang, Yuan Zhang, Shiwen Hu, Jiaxin Guo, Shunxiang Xu, Lizhen Zheng, Hao Yao, Hong Lian, Yu Nie, Ye Li, Xuan He, Zhi Yao, Wenxue Tong, Xinluan Wang, Dick Ho Kiu Chow, Jiankun Xu, Ling Qin
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The mammalian SUMO-targeted E3 ubiquitin ligase Rnf4 has been reported to act as a regulator of DNA repair, but the importance of RNF4 as a tumor suppressor has not been tested. Using a conditional-knockout mouse model, we deleted Rnf4 in the B cell lineage to test the importance of RNF4 for growth of somatic cells. Although Rnf4–conditional-knockout B cells exhibited substantial genomic instability, Rnf4 deletion caused no increase in tumor susceptibility. In contrast, Rnf4 deletion extended the healthy lifespan of mice expressing an oncogenic c-myc transgene. Rnf4 activity is essential for normal DNA replication, and in its absence, there was a failure in ATR-CHK1 signaling of replication stress. Factors that normally mediate replication fork stability, including members of the Fanconi anemia gene family and the helicases PIF1 and RECQL5, showed reduced accumulation at replication forks in the absence of RNF4. RNF4 deficiency also resulted in an accumulation of hyper-SUMOylated proteins in chromatin, including members of the SMC5/6 complex, which contributes to replication failure by a mechanism dependent on RAD51. These findings indicate that RNF4, which shows increased expression in multiple human tumor types, is a potential target for anticancer therapy, especially in tumors expressing c-myc.
Authors
Joonyoung Her, Haiyan Zheng, Samuel F. Bunting
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Clarkson disease, or monoclonal gammopathy–associated idiopathic systemic capillary leak syndrome (ISCLS), is a rare, relapsing-remitting disorder featuring the abrupt extravasation of fluids and proteins into peripheral tissues, which in turn leads to hypotensive shock, severe hemoconcentration, and hypoalbuminemia. The specific leakage factor(s) and pathways in ISCLS are unknown, and there is no effective treatment for acute flares. Here, we characterize an autonomous vascular endothelial defect in ISCLS that was recapitulated in patient-derived endothelial cells (ECs) in culture and in a mouse model of disease. ISCLS-derived ECs were functionally hyperresponsive to permeability-inducing factors like VEGF and histamine, in part due to increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity. eNOS blockade by administration of N(γ)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) ameliorated vascular leakage in an SJL/J mouse model of ISCLS induced by histamine or VEGF challenge. eNOS mislocalization and decreased protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) expression may contribute to eNOS hyperactivation in ISCLS-derived ECs. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into microvascular barrier dysfunction in ISCLS and highlight a potential therapeutic approach.
Authors
Ararat J. Ablooglu, Wei-Sheng Chen, Zhihui Xie, Abhishek Desai, Subrata Paul, Justin B. Lack, Linda A. Scott, A. Robin Eisch, Arkadiusz Z. Dudek, Samir M. Parikh, Kirk M. Druey
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Nuclear factor κ-B (NFκB) is activated in iPSC-cardiac myocytes from patients with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) under basal conditions, and inhibition of NFκB signaling prevents disease in Dsg2mut/mut mice, a robust mouse model of ACM. Here, we used genetic approaches and single-cell RNA-Seq to define the contributions of immune signaling in cardiac myocytes and macrophages in the natural progression of ACM using Dsg2mut/mut mice. We found that NFκB signaling in cardiac myocytes drives myocardial injury, contractile dysfunction, and arrhythmias in Dsg2mut/mut mice. NFκB signaling in cardiac myocytes mobilizes macrophages expressing C-C motif chemokine receptor-2 (CCR2+ cells) to affected areas within the heart, where they mediate myocardial injury and arrhythmias. Contractile dysfunction in Dsg2mut/mut mice is caused both by loss of heart muscle and negative inotropic effects of inflammation in viable muscle. Single nucleus RNA-Seq and cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitomes (CITE-Seq) studies revealed marked proinflammatory changes in gene expression and the cellular landscape in hearts of Dsg2mut/mut mice involving cardiac myocytes, fibroblasts, and CCR2+ macrophages. Changes in gene expression in cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts in Dsg2mut/mut mice were dependent on CCR2+ macrophage recruitment to the heart. These results highlight complex mechanisms of immune injury and regulatory crosstalk between cardiac myocytes, inflammatory cells, and fibroblasts in the pathogenesis of ACM.
Authors
Stephen P. Chelko, Vinay R. Penna, Morgan Engel, Emily A. Shiel, Ann M. Centner, Waleed Farra, Elisa N. Cannon, Maicon Landim-Vieira, Niccole Schaible, Kory Lavine, Jeffrey E. Saffitz
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Development of effective strategies to manage the inevitable acquired resistance to osimertinib, a third-generation EGFR inhibitor for the treatment of EGFR-mutant (EGFRm) non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is urgently needed. This study reports that DNA topoisomerase II (Topo II) inhibitors, doxorubicin and etoposide, synergistically decreased cell survival, with enhanced induction of DNA damage and apoptosis in osimertinib-resistant cells; suppressed the growth of osimertinib-resistant tumors; and delayed the emergence of osimertinib-acquired resistance. Mechanistically, osimertinib decreased Topo IIα levels in EGFRm NSCLC cells by facilitating FBXW7-mediated proteasomal degradation, resulting in induction of DNA damage; these effects were lost in osimertinib-resistant cell lines that possess elevated levels of Topo IIα. Increased Topo IIα levels were also detected in the majority of tissue samples from patients with NSCLC after relapse from EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment. Enforced expression of an ectopic TOP2A gene in sensitive EGFRm NSCLC cells conferred resistance to osimertinib, whereas knockdown of TOP2A in osimertinib-resistant cell lines restored their susceptibility to osimertinib-induced DNA damage and apoptosis. Together, these results reveal an essential role of Topo IIα inhibition in mediating the therapeutic efficacy of osimertinib against EGFRm NSCLC, providing scientific rationale for targeting Topo II to manage acquired resistance to osimertinib.
Authors
Zhen Chen, Karin A. Vallega, Dongsheng Wang, Zihan Quan, Songqing Fan, Qiming Wang, Ticiana Leal, Suresh S. Ramalingam, Shi-Yong Sun
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Fibrosis following tissue injury is distinguished from normal repair by the accumulation of pathogenic and apoptosis-resistant myofibroblasts (MFs), which arise primarily by differentiation from resident fibroblasts. Endogenous molecular brakes that promote MF dedifferentiation and clearance during spontaneous resolution of experimental lung fibrosis may provide insights that could inform and improve the treatment of progressive pulmonary fibrosis in patients. MAPK phosphatase 1 (MKP1) influences the cellular phenotype and fate through precise and timely regulation of MAPK activity within various cell types and tissues, yet its role in lung fibroblasts and pulmonary fibrosis has not been explored. Using gain- and loss-of-function studies, we found that MKP1 promoted lung MF dedifferentiation and restored the sensitivity of these cells to apoptosis — effects determined to be mainly dependent on MKP1’s dephosphorylation of p38α MAPK (p38α). Fibroblast-specific deletion of MKP1 following peak bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis largely abrogated its subsequent spontaneous resolution. Such resolution was restored by treating these transgenic mice with the p38α inhibitor VX-702. We conclude that MKP1 is a critical antifibrotic brake whose inhibition of pathogenic p38α in lung fibroblasts is necessary for fibrosis resolution following lung injury.
Authors
Sean M. Fortier, Natalie M. Walker, Loka R. Penke, Jared D. Baas, Qinxue Shen, Jennifer M. Speth, Steven K. Huang, Rachel L. Zemans, Anton M. Bennett, Marc Peters-Golden
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BACKGROUND Preclinical studies suggest that cholesterol accumulation leads to insulin resistance. We previously reported that alterations in a monocyte cholesterol metabolism transcriptional network (CMTN) — suggestive of cellular cholesterol accumulation — were cross-sectionally associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Here, we sought to determine whether the CMTN alterations independently predict incident prediabetes/T2D risk, and correlate with cellular cholesterol accumulation.METHODS Monocyte mRNA expression of 11 CMTN genes was quantified among 934 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) participants free of prediabetes/T2D; cellular cholesterol was measured in a subset of 24 monocyte samples.RESULTS During a median 6-year follow-up, lower expression of 3 highly correlated LXR target genes — ABCG1 and ABCA1 (cholesterol efflux) and MYLIP (cholesterol uptake suppression) — and not other CMTN genes, was significantly associated with higher risk of incident prediabetes/T2D. Lower expression of the LXR target genes correlated with higher cellular cholesterol levels (e.g., 47% of variance in cellular total cholesterol explained by ABCG1 expression). Further, adding the LXR target genes to overweight/obesity and other known predictors significantly improved prediction of incident prediabetes/T2D.CONCLUSION These data suggest that the aberrant LXR/ABCG1-ABCA1-MYLIP pathway (LAAMP) is a major T2D risk factor and support a potential role for aberrant LAAMP and cellular cholesterol accumulation in diabetogenesis.FUNDING The MESA Epigenomics and Transcriptomics Studies were funded by NIH grants 1R01HL101250, 1RF1AG054474, R01HL126477, R01DK101921, and R01HL135009. This work was supported by funding from NIDDK R01DK103531 and NHLBI R01HL119962.
Authors
Jingzhong Ding, Anh Tram Nguyen, Kurt Lohman, Michael T. Hensley, Daniel Parker, Li Hou, Jackson Taylor, Deepak Voora, Janet K. Sawyer, Elena Boudyguina, Michael P. Bancks, Alain Bertoni, James S. Pankow, Jerome I. Rotter, Mark O. Goodarzi, Russell P. Tracy, David M. Murdoch, Daniel Duprez, Stephen S. Rich, Bruce M. Psaty, David Siscovick, Christopher B. Newgard, David Herrington, Ina Hoeschele, Steven Shea, James H. Stein, Manesh Patel, Wendy Post, David Jacobs Jr., John S. Parks, Yongmei Liu
×Abstract
Lactylation has been recently identified as a new type of posttranslational modification occurring widely on lysine residues of both histone and nonhistone proteins. The acetyltransferase p300 is thought to mediate protein lactylation, yet the cellular concentration of the proposed lactyl-donor, lactyl-coenzyme A, is about 1,000 times lower than that of acetyl-CoA, raising the question of whether p300 is a genuine lactyltransferase. Here, we report that alanyl-tRNA synthetase 1 (AARS1) moonlights as a bona fide lactyltransferase that directly uses lactate and ATP to catalyze protein lactylation. Among the candidate substrates, we focused on the Hippo pathway, which has a well-established role in tumorigenesis. Specifically, AARS1 was found to sense intracellular lactate and translocate into the nucleus to lactylate and activate the YAP-TEAD complex; and AARS1 itself was identified as a Hippo target gene that forms a positive-feedback loop with YAP-TEAD to promote gastric cancer (GC) cell proliferation. Consistently, the expression of AARS1 was found to be upregulated in GC, and elevated AARS1 expression was found to be associated with poor prognosis for patients with GC. Collectively, this work found AARS1 with lactyltransferase activity in vitro and in vivo and revealed how the metabolite lactate is translated into a signal of cell proliferation.
Authors
Junyi Ju, Hui Zhang, Moubin Lin, Zifeng Yan, Liwei An, Zhifa Cao, Dandan Geng, Jingwu Yue, Yang Tang, Luyang Tian, Fan Chen, Yi Han, Wenjia Wang, Shimin Zhao, Shi Jiao, Zhaocai Zhou
×Abstract
Gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) is often prescribed to transgender (TG) adolescents to alleviate gender dysphoria, but the effect of GAHT on the growing skeleton is unclear. We found GAHT to improve trabecular bone structure via increased bone formation in young male mice and not to affect trabecular structure in female mice. GAHT modified gut microbiome composition in both male and female mice. However, fecal microbiota transfers (FMTs) revealed that GAHT-shaped gut microbiome was a communicable regulator of bone structure and turnover in male, but not in female mice. Mediation analysis identified 2 species of Bacteroides as significant contributors to the skeletal effects of GAHT in male mice, with Bacteroides supplementation phenocopying the effects of GAHT on bone. Bacteroides have the capacity to expand Treg populations in the gut. Accordingly, GAHT expanded intestinal Tregs and stimulated their migration to the bone marrow (BM) in male but not in female mice. Attesting to the functional relevance of Tregs, pharmacological blockade of Treg expansion prevented GAHT-induced bone anabolism. In summary, in male mice GAHT stimulated bone formation and improved trabecular structure by promoting Treg expansion via a microbiome-mediated effect, while in female mice, GAHT neither improved nor impaired trabecular structure.
Authors
Subhashis Pal, Xochitl Morgan, Hamid Y. Dar, Camilo Anthony Gacasan, Sanchiti Patil, Andreea Stoica, Yi-Juan Hu, M. Neale Weitzmann, Rheinallt M. Jones, Roberto Pacifici
×Abstract
Cancer-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are capable of modifying the tumor microenvironment and promoting tumor progression. Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is a lethal malignancy that preferentially spreads through the abdominal cavity. Thus, the secretion of such vesicles into the peritoneal fluid could be a determinant factor in the dissemination and behavior of this disease. We designed a prospective observational study to assess the impact of peritoneal fluid–derived sEVs (PFD-sEVs) in OvCa clinical outcome. For this purpose, 2 patient cohorts were enrolled: patients with OvCa who underwent a diagnostic or cytoreductive surgery and nononcological patients, who underwent abdominal surgery for benign gynecological conditions and acted as the control group. Systematic extraction of PFD-sEVs from surgical samples enabled us to observe significant quantitative and qualitative differences associated with cancer diagnosis, disease stage, and platinum chemosensitivity. Proteomic profiling of PFD-sEVs led to the identification of molecular pathways and proteins of interest and to the biological validation of S100A4 and STX5. In addition, unsupervised analysis of PFD-sEV proteomic profiles in high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOCs) revealed 2 clusters with different outcomes in terms of overall survival. In conclusion, comprehensive characterization of PFD-sEV content provided a prognostic value with potential implications in HGSOC clinical management.
Authors
Miguel Quiralte, Arantzazu Barquín, Mónica Yagüe-Fernández, Paloma Navarro, Tatiana P. Grazioso, Elena Sevillano-Fernández, Juan F. Rodriguez-Moreno, Alejandra Balarezo-Saldivar, Héctor Peinado, Elena Izquierdo, Carlos Millán, Irene López-Carrasco, Mario Prieto, Rodrigo Madurga, Ismael Fernández-Miranda, Sergio Ruiz-Llorente, Jesús García-Donas
×Abstract
Despite widespread utilization of immunotherapy, treating immune-cold tumors remains a challenge. Multiomic analyses and experimental validation identified the OTUD4/CD73 proteolytic axis as a promising target in treating immune-suppressive triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Mechanistically, deubiquitylation of CD73 by OTUD4 counteracted its ubiquitylation by TRIM21, resulting in CD73 stabilization inhibiting tumor immune responses. We further demonstrated the importance of TGF-β signaling for orchestrating the OTUD4/CD73 proteolytic axis within tumor cells. Spatial transcriptomics profiling discovered spatially resolved features of interacting malignant and immune cells pertaining to expression levels of OTUD4 and CD73. In addition, ST80, a newly developed inhibitor, specifically disrupted proteolytic interaction between CD73 and OTUD4, leading to reinvigoration of cytotoxic CD8+ T cell activities. In preclinical models of TNBC, ST80 treatment sensitized refractory tumors to anti-PD-L1 therapy. Collectively, our findings uncover what we believe to be a novel strategy for targeting the immunosuppressive OTUD4/CD73 proteolytic axis in treating immune-suppressive breast cancers with the inhibitor ST80.
Authors
Yueming Zhu, Anupam Banerjee, Ping Xie, Andrey A. Ivanov, Amad Uddin, Qiao Jiao, Junlong Jack Chi, Lidan Zeng, Ji Young Lee, Yifan Xue, Xinghua Lu, Massimo Cristofanilli, William J. Gradishar, Curtis J. Henry, Theresa W. Gillespie, Manali Ajay Bhave, Kevin Kalinsky, Haian Fu, Ivet Bahar, Bin Zhang, Yong Wan
×Abstract
Lymphedema is a debilitating disease with no effective cure and affects an estimated 250 million individuals worldwide. Prior studies have identified mutations in piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1 (PIEZO1), angiopoietin 2 (ANGPT2), and tyrosine kinase with Ig-like and EGF-like domains 1 (TIE1) in patients with primary lymphedema. Here, we identified crosstalk between these molecules and showed that activation of the mechanosensory channel PIEZO1 in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) caused rapid exocytosis of the TIE ligand ANGPT2, ectodomain shedding of TIE1 by disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain–containing protein 17 (ADAM17), and increased TIE/PI3K/AKT signaling, followed by nuclear export of the transcription factor FOXO1. These data establish a functional network between lymphedema-associated genes and provide what we believe to be the first molecular mechanism bridging channel function with vascular signaling and intracellular events culminating in transcriptional regulation of genes expressed in LECs. Our study provides insights into the regulation of lymphatic function and molecular pathways involved in human disease.
Authors
Jing Du, Pan Liu, Yalu Zhou, Sol Misener, Isha Sharma, Phoebe Leeaw, Benjamin R. Thomson, Jing Jin, Susan E. Quaggin
×Abstract
Mediator kinases CDK19 and CDK8, pleiotropic regulators of transcriptional reprogramming, are differentially regulated by androgen signaling, but both kinases are upregulated in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of CDK8 and CDK19 reverses the castration-resistant phenotype and restores the sensitivity of CRPC xenografts to androgen deprivation in vivo. Prolonged CDK8/19 inhibitor treatment combined with castration not only suppressed the growth of CRPC xenografts but also induced tumor regression and cures. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that Mediator kinase inhibition amplified and modulated the effects of castration on gene expression, disrupting CRPC adaptation to androgen deprivation. Mediator kinase inactivation in tumor cells also affected stromal gene expression, indicating that Mediator kinase activity in CRPC molded the tumor microenvironment. The combination of castration and Mediator kinase inhibition downregulated the MYC pathway, and Mediator kinase inhibition suppressed a MYC-driven CRPC tumor model even without castration. CDK8/19 inhibitors showed efficacy in patient-derived xenograft models of CRPC, and a gene signature of Mediator kinase activity correlated with tumor progression and overall survival in clinical samples of metastatic CRPC. These results indicate that Mediator kinases mediated androgen-independent in vivo growth of CRPC, supporting the development of CDK8/19 inhibitors for the treatment of this presently incurable disease.
Authors
Jing Li, Thomas A. Hilimire, Yueying Liu, Lili Wang, Jiaxin Liang, Balazs Gyorffy, Vitali Sikirzhytski, Hao Ji, Li Zhang, Chen Cheng, Xiaokai Ding, Kendall R. Kerr, Charles E. Dowling, Alexander A. Chumanevich, Zachary T. Mack, Gary P. Schools, Chang-uk Lim, Leigh Ellis, Xiaolin Zi, Donald C. Porter, Eugenia V. Broude, Campbell McInnes, George Wilding, Michael B. Lilly, Igor B. Roninson, Mengqian Chen
×Abstract
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is caused by mutations in the NF1 gene that encodes neurofibromin, a RAS GTPase–activating protein. Inactivating NF1 mutations cause hyperactivation of RAS-mediated signaling, resulting in the development of multiple neoplasms, including malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). MPNSTs are an aggressive tumor and the main cause of mortality in patients with NF1. MPNSTs are difficult to resect and refractory to chemo- and radiotherapy, and no molecular therapies currently exist. Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) is an approach to treat inoperable, undruggable cancers like MPNST, but successful outcomes require an immune cell–rich tumor microenvironment. While MPNSTs are noninflamed “cold” tumors, here, we converted MPNSTs into T cell–inflamed “hot” tumors by activating stimulator of IFN genes (STING) signaling. Mouse genetic and human xenograft MPNST models treated with a STING agonist plus ICB exhibited growth delay via increased apoptotic cell death. This strategy offers a potential treatment regimen for MPNSTs.
Authors
Bandarigoda N. Somatilaka, Laasya Madana, Ali Sadek, Zhiguo Chen, Sanjay Chandrasekaran, Renee M. McKay, Lu Q. Le
×Abstract
BACKGROUND The molecular signature of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is poorly described, and the degree to which hyperinflammation or specific tissue injury contributes to outcomes is unknown. Therefore, we profiled inflammation and tissue injury dynamics over the first 7 days of ARDS, and associated specific biomarkers with mortality, persistent ARDS, and persistent multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS).METHODS In a single-center prospective cohort of intubated pediatric patients with ARDS, we collected plasma on days 0, 3, and 7. Nineteen biomarkers reflecting inflammation, tissue injury, and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) were measured. We assessed the relationship between biomarkers and trajectories with mortality, persistent ARDS, or persistent MODS using multivariable mixed effect models.RESULTS In 279 patients (64 [23%] nonsurvivors), hyperinflammatory cytokines, tissue injury markers, and DAMPs were higher in nonsurvivors. Survivors and nonsurvivors showed different biomarker trajectories. IL-1α, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1, angiopoietin 2 (ANG2), and surfactant protein D increased in nonsurvivors, while DAMPs remained persistently elevated. ANG2 and procollagen type III N-terminal peptide were associated with persistent ARDS, whereas multiple cytokines, tissue injury markers, and DAMPs were associated with persistent MODS. Corticosteroid use did not impact the association of biomarker levels or trajectory with mortality.CONCLUSIONS Pediatric ARDS survivors and nonsurvivors had distinct biomarker trajectories, with cytokines, endothelial and alveolar epithelial injury, and DAMPs elevated in nonsurvivors. Mortality markers overlapped with markers associated with persistent MODS, rather than persistent ARDS.FUNDING NIH (K23HL-136688, R01-HL148054).
Authors
Nadir Yehya, Thomas J. Booth, Gnana D. Ardhanari, Jill M. Thompson, L.K. Metthew Lam, Jacob E. Till, Mark V. Mai, Garrett Keim, Daniel J. McKeone, E. Scott Halstead, Patrick Lahni, Brian M. Varisco, Wanding Zhou, Erica L. Carpenter, Jason D. Christie, Nilam S. Mangalmurti
×Abstract
Renal interstitial fibrosis is an important mechanism in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) to end-stage kidney disease. However, we lack specific treatments to slow or halt renal fibrosis. Ribosome profiling identified upregulation of a secreted micropeptide, C4orf48 (Cf48), in mouse diabetic nephropathy. Cf48 RNA and protein levels were upregulated in tubular epithelial cells in human and experimental CKD. Serum Cf48 levels were increased in human CKD and correlated with loss of kidney function, increasing CKD stage, and the degree of active interstitial fibrosis. Cf48 overexpression in mice accelerated renal fibrosis, while Cf48 gene deletion or knockdown by antisense oligonucleotides significantly reduced renal fibrosis in CKD models. In vitro, recombinant Cf48 (rCf48) enhanced TGF-β1–induced fibrotic responses in renal fibroblasts and epithelial cells independently of Smad3 phosphorylation. Cellular uptake of Cf48 and its profibrotic response in fibroblasts operated via the transferrin receptor. RNA immunoprecipitation–sequencing identified Cf48 binding to mRNA of genes involved in the fibrotic response, including Serpine1, Acta2, Ccn2, and Col4a1. rCf48 binds to the 3′UTR of Serpine1 and increases mRNA half-life. We identify the secreted Cf48 micropeptide as a potential enhancer of renal fibrosis that operates as an RNA-binding peptide to promote the production of extracellular matrix.
Authors
Jiayi Yang, Hongjie Zhuang, Jinhua Li, Ana B. Nunez-Nescolarde, Ning Luo, Huiting Chen, Andy Li, Xinli Qu, Qing Wang, Jinjin Fan, Xiaoyan Bai, Zhiming Ye, Bing Gu, Yue Meng, Xingyuan Zhang, Di Wu, Youyang Sia, Xiaoyun Jiang, Wei Chen, Alexander N. Combes, David J. Nikolic-Paterson, Xueqing Yu
Copyright © 2025 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)