Issue published July 15, 2025 Previous issue
- Volume 135, Issue 14
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On the cover: Immune landscape in HIV-associated lung cancers
Desai et al. report that the tumor microenvironment of lung cancers from people with HIV exhibits a more immunoregulatory environment compared with that in people without HIV. The cover image shows HIV-positive non-small cell lung cancer with immune cell infiltration, stained by imaging mass cytometry.
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Review Series Introduction
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Abstract
Authors
Minh T. Than, Ben Z. Stanger
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Review Series
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Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is known to progress from one of two main precursor lesions: pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) or intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN). The poor survival rates for patients with PDAC, even those diagnosed with localized disease, highlight the need for pancreatic cancer interception at the precursor stage. Although their basic biological drivers are well characterized, practical strategies for PanIN and IPMN interception remain elusive due to difficulties with detection, risk stratification, and low-morbidity intervention. Recently, advances in liquid biopsy, spatial multiomics analysis, and machine learning technology have provided deeper understanding of the molecular landscapes underlying pancreatic precursor development and progression. In this Review, we outline the different histologic phenotypes, clinical characteristics, and neoplastic cell–intrinsic and –extrinsic drivers of PanINs and IPMNs, with particular focus on current and potential future opportunities for pancreatic precancer interception.
Authors
Brian A. Pedro, Laura D. Wood
×Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is composed of a dense stromal compartment and is poorly vascularized, resulting in limited nutrient delivery. As a result, PDAC cells must adapt to cope with the metabolic stresses brought on by TME nutrient limitation. In this article, we first review recent studies that have provided quantitative measurements of nutrient levels in the PDAC TME. These studies have provided a new understanding of the nutrient limitations and metabolic stresses that occur in PDAC. We next discuss the adaptive strategies employed by PDAC in response to TME nutrient limitation. We propose that PDAC adaptations to metabolic stress can be generalized into four categories: (a) cutting down on metabolic costs by recycling metabolites and suppressing nonessential processes, (b) upregulating biosynthetic pathways to meet TME metabolic demands, (c) supporting essential metabolic processes with alternative fuel sources, and (d) dampening antiproliferative and cell death responses that nutrient limitation normally triggers. Improving our understanding of the nutrient limitations within the TME, and the adaptations cells employ to cope with these stresses, provides a more complete picture of PDAC biology and reveals new opportunities for therapeutic targeting of this disease.
Authors
Colin Sheehan, Alexander Muir
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Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains among the most lethal cancers, with metastasis as the primary driver of mortality. While metastatic mechanisms are shared across malignancies, PDAC metastasis poses unique therapeutic challenges due to the presence of extensive tumor heterogeneity, desmoplasia, and immunosuppression — features that enable diverse migratory behaviors and therapeutic resistance. Recent advances have shown that metastatic progression in PDAC emerges from dynamic interactions between tumor cell–intrinsic and microenvironmental factors, each adapting to evolving stressors throughout the metastatic cascade. In the primary tumor, genomic instability and epigenetic reprogramming generate subclones with heightened invasive potential, while dense stromal reactions and myeloid-dominated immune suppression facilitate escape. During circulation, PDAC cells employ distinctive survival strategies through homotypic clustering and heterotypic interactions with blood components. At distant sites, PDAC cells adapt to organ-specific microenvironments through context-dependent metabolic and immune modulation, resulting in phenotypes that diverge from the primary tumor. In this Review, we examine how tumor-stroma crosstalk mechanisms shape metastatic progression in PDAC, provide a framework for understanding why conventional therapies often fail against metastatic disease, and highlight emerging opportunities for stage- and site-specific therapeutic interventions that target these unique adaptations.
Authors
Ravikanth Maddipati
×Abstract
Despite advances in multidisciplinary oncology care, curing patients diagnosed with pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains all too uncommon. In this Review, we discuss evolving concepts to guide the care of patients with operable PDAC, focusing on adjuvant and neoadjuvant systemic therapies, the ever-controversial topic of radiation therapy, and the emerging role of cancer vaccines. Given the promise of biomarkers to better predict therapeutic response, the development of KRAS inhibitors, our ability to deliver higher doses of radiation therapy more precisely and safely, and the technology to rapidly produce highly personalized cancer vaccines, there is reason to expect that the guidelines for the care of our patients with operable PDAC will change rapidly in the next few years.
Authors
John M. Bryant, Luis Ruffolo, Kevin Soares, Sarah Hoffe, Andrew M. Lowy
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Commentaries
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Abstract
T cell–mediated rejection (TCMR) develops after alloantigen-primed T cells migrate into an allograft to cause tissue damage. In contrast to antibody-mediated rejection, which creates lesions in the graft vasculature, injury to the graft vasculature is often limited during TCMR. In this issue of the JCI, Barba et al. investigated the mechanism by which the endothelium is spared from harm caused by graft-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. Endothelial cell protection was due to cell-extrinsic chemokine variations in the environment, rather than cell-intrinsic differences between endothelial and interstitial cells. The CXCL12 gradient in particular facilitated CD8+ T cell movement through the endothelial layer into the graft parenchyma. These findings suggest that targeting the CXCL12 pathway may prevent or alleviate TCMR.
Authors
Scott M. Krummey, Jonathan S. Bromberg
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Pain is a serious medical condition with current treatments remaining limited by side effects. The Nav1.7 voltage-gated sodium channel is a crucial determinant of nociceptor excitability and a promising target for nonaddictive analgesics. However, development of blockers has been difficult. In this issue of the JCI, Singh, Bernabucci, and authors identify a strategy for reducing Nav1.7 currents. These findings identify fibroblast growth factor 13 (FGF13), a homologous factor distinct from typical growth factors (also known as FHF2B), which ramps up Nav1.7, nociceptor excitability, and pain. Compound PW164 was identified as a selective FGF13-Nav1.7 attenuator with analgesic activity. These findings highlight the power of targeting intrinsic modulators of Nav1.7 for pain management.
Authors
Theodore R. Cummins
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Purine nucleotides are critical for nucleic acid synthesis, signaling, and cellular metabolism. Thiopurines (TPs), including 6-mercaptopurine and 6-thioguanine, are cornerstone agents for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). TP efficacy and cytotoxicity depend on the metabolism and intracellular activation of TPs, a process influenced by pharmacogenes such as thiopurine-S methyltransferase (TPMT) and NUDIX (nucleoside diphosphates linked to moiety-X) hydrolase 15 (NUDT15). In this issue of the JCI, Maillard et al. identified NUDT5 as a determinant of TP pharmacology. They demonstrated that loss of NUDT5 conferred TP resistance by impairing drug activation and DNA damage responses. Metabolomics studies by Maillard and others revealed that NUDT5 may regulate the balance between the de novo purine synthesis and salvage pathways. Clinically, NUDT5 expression variants were associated with altered TP tolerance. These findings position NUDT5 as a key modulator of nucleotide metabolism and TP efficacy, with potential implications for pharmacogenomics-guided therapy optimization in ALL.
Authors
Leo Kager, Kaan Boztug
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Research Articles
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Abstract
Graft endothelial cells (ECs) express donor alloantigens and encounter cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) but are generally spared during T cell–mediated rejection (TCMR), which predominantly affects epithelial structures. The mechanisms underlying this vascular immune privilege are unclear. Transcriptomics analyses and endothelial-mesenchymal transition assessments confirmed that the graft endothelium was preserved during TCMR. Coculture experiments revealed that endothelial and epithelial cells were equally susceptible to CTL-mediated lysis, ruling out cell-intrinsic protection. Intravital microscopy of murine kidney grafts and single-cell RNA-Seq of human renal allografts demonstrated that CTL interactions with ECs were transient compared with epithelial cells. This disparity was mediated by a chemotactic gradient produced by graft stromal cells, guiding CTLs away from ECs toward epithelial targets. In vitro, chemotaxis overrode T cell receptor–induced cytotoxicity, preventing endothelial damage. Finally, analysis of TCMR biopsies revealed that disruption of the chemotactic gradient correlated with endothelialitis lesions, linking its loss to vascular damage. These findings challenge the traditional view of cell-intrinsic immune privilege, proposing a cell-extrinsic mechanism, in which chemotaxis preserves graft vasculature during TCMR. This mechanism may have implications beyond transplantation, highlighting its role in maintaining vascular integrity across pathological conditions.
Authors
Thomas Barba, Martin Oberbarnscheidt, Gregory Franck, Chantal Gao, Sebastien This, Maud Rabeyrin, Candice Roufosse, Linda Moran, Alice Koenig, Virginie Mathias, Carole Saison, Valérie Dubois, Nicolas Pallet, Dany Anglicheau, Baptiste Lamarthée, Alexandre Hertig, Emmanuel Morelon, Arnaud Hot, Helena Paidassi, Thierry Defrance, Antonio Nicoletti, Jean-Paul Duong Van Huyen, Yi-Chung Xu-Dubois, Faddi G. Lakkis, Olivier Thaunat
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Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPis) are used to treat BRCA-mutated (BRCAm) cancer patients; however, resistance has been observed. Therefore, biomarkers to indicate PARPi resistance and combination therapy to overcome that are urgently needed. We identified a high prevalence of activated FGF receptor 3 (FGFR3) in BRCAm triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells with intrinsic and acquired PARPi resistance. FGFR3 phosphorylated PARP1 at tyrosine 158 (Y158) to recruit BRG1 and prolong chromatin-loaded MRE11, thus promoting homologous recombination (HR) to enhance PARPi resistance. FGFR inhibition prolonged PARP trapping and synergized with PARPi in vitro and in vivo. High-level PARP1 Y158 phosphorylation (p-Y158) positively correlated with PARPi resistance in TNBC patient–derived xenograft models, and in PARPi-resistant TNBC patient tumors. These findings reveal that PARP1 p-Y158 facilitates BRG1-mediated HR to resolve the PARP-DNA complex, and PARP1 p-Y158 may indicate PARPi resistance that can be relieved by combining FGFR inhibitors (FGFRis) with PARPis. In summary, we show that FGFRi restores PARP trapping and PARPi antitumor efficacy in PARPi-resistant breast cancer by decreasing HR through the PARP1 p-Y158/BRG1/MER11 axis, suggesting that PARP1 p-Y158 is a biomarker for PARPi resistance that can be overcome by combining FGFRis with PARPis.
Authors
Mei-Kuang Chen, Hirohito Yamaguchi, Yuan Gao, Weiya Xia, Jeffrey T. Chang, Yu-Chun Hsiao, Tewodros W. Shegute, Zong-Shin Lin, Chen-Shiou Wu, Yu-Han Wang, Jennifer K. Litton, Qingqing Ding, Yongkun Wei, Yu-Yi Chu, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Helen Piwnica-Worms, Banu Arun, Jordi Rodon Ahnert, Jinsong Liu, Jun Yao, Wei-Chao Chang, Hung-Ling Wang, Coya Tapia, Constance T. Albarracin, Khandan Keyomarsi, Shao-Chun Wang, Ying-Nai Wang, Gabriel N. Hortobagyi, Chunru Lin, Liuqing Yang, Dihua Yu, Mien-Chie Hung
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The N-Myc gene MYCN amplification accounts for the most common genetic aberration in neuroblastoma and strongly predicts the aggressive progression and poor clinical prognosis. However, clinically effective therapies that directly target N-Myc activity are limited. N-Myc is a transcription factor, and its stability is tightly controlled by ubiquitination-dependent proteasomal degradation. Here, we discovered that Kelch-like protein 37 (KLHL37) played a crucial role in enhancing the protein stability of N-Myc in neuroblastoma. KLHL37 directly interacted with N-Myc to disrupt N-Myc–FBXW7 interaction, thereby stabilizing N-Myc and enabling tumor progression. Suppressing KLHL37 effectively induced the degradation of N-Myc and had a profound inhibitory effect on the growth of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. Notably, we identified RTA-408 as an inhibitor of KLHL37 to disrupt the KLHL37–N-Myc complex, promoting the degradation of N-Myc and suppressing neuroblastoma in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, we elucidated the therapeutic potential of RTA-408 for neuroblastoma using patient-derived neuroblastoma cell and patient-derived xenograft tumor models. RTA408’s antitumor effects may not occur exclusively via KLHL37, and specific KLHL37 inhibitors are expected to be developed in the future. These findings not only uncover the biological function of KLHL37 in regulating N-Myc stability, but also indicate that KLHL37 inhibition is a promising therapeutic regimen for neuroblastoma, especially in patients with MYCN-amplified tumors.
Authors
Senfeng Xiang, Pengfei Chen, Xiaoxian Shi, Hanqi Cai, Zihan Shen, Luyang Liu, Aixiao Xu, Jianhua Zhang, Xingya Zhang, Shaowei Bing, Jinhu Wang, Xuejing Shao, Ji Cao, Bo Yang, Qiaojun He, Meidan Ying
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Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality among people with HIV (PWH), with increased incidence and poor outcomes. This study explored whether the tumor microenvironment (TME) of HIV-associated non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) limits tumor-specific immune responses. With a matched cohort of NSCLC samples from PWH and from people without HIV (PWOH), we used imaging mass cytometry, a linear mixed-effects model, and an artificial intelligence–based (AI-based) PageRank mathematical algorithm based on spectral graph theory to demonstrate that HIV-associated tumors have differential distribution of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ and CD4+ T cells, enriched for the expression of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and lymphocyte-activating gene 3 (LAG3), as well as activation and proliferation markers. We also demonstrate higher expression of immunoregulatory molecules (PD-L1, PD-L2, B7-H3, B7-H4, IDO1, and VISTA) among tumor-associated macrophages. Discrimination of cells between tumors from PWH versus those from PWOH was confirmed by spectral graph theory with 84.6% accuracy. Furthermore, we noted differences in spatial orientation of immune cells within the TME of PWH compared with PWOH. Additionally, cells from PWH, compared with those from PWOH, exhibited decreased tumor killing when exposed to HLA-matched NSCLC cell lines. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the HIV-associated TME sustained a unique immune landscape, showing evidence of immune cells with enhanced immunoregulatory phenotypes and impaired antitumor responses, with implications for responses to immune checkpoint blocker therapies.
Authors
Shruti S. Desai, Syim Salahuddin, Ramsey Yusuf, Kishu Ranjan, Jianlei Gu, Lais Osmani, Ya-Wei Lin, Sameet Mehta, Ronan Talmon, Insoo Kang, Yuval Kluger, Hongyu Zhao, Kurt Schalper, Brinda Emu
×Abstract
Abnormal expansions of the CAG trinucleotide repeat within specific gene exons give rise to polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, a family of inherited disorders characterized by late-onset neurodegeneration. Recently, a new type of polyQ disease was identified and named spinocerebellar ataxia 51 (SCA51). SCA51 is caused by polyQ expansion in THAP domain containing 11 (THAP11), an essential transcription factor for brain development. The pathogenesis of SCA51, particularly how mutant THAP11 with polyQ expansion contributes to neuropathology, remains elusive. Our study of mouse and monkey brains revealed that THAP11 expression is subject to developmental regulation, showing enrichment in the cerebellum. However, knocking down endogenous THAP11 in adult mice did not affect neuronal survival. In contrast, expressing mutant THAP11 with polyQ expansion led to pronounced protein aggregation, cerebellar neurodegeneration, and motor deficits, indicating that gain-of-function mechanisms are central to SCA51 pathogenesis. We discovered activated microglia expressing triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) in the cerebellum of a newly developed SCA51 knockin mouse model. Mechanistically, mutant THAP11 enhanced the transcription of TREM2, leading to its upregulation. The loss of TREM2 or depletion of microglia mitigated neurodegeneration induced by mutant THAP11. Our study offers the first mechanistic insights to our knowledge into the pathogenesis of SCA51, highlighting the role of TREM2-mediated microglial activation in SCA51 neuropathology.
Authors
Eshu Ruan, Jingpan Lin, Zhao Chen, Qianai Sheng, Laiqiang Chen, Jiating He, Xuezhi Duan, Yiyang Qin, Tingting Xing, Sitong Yang, Mingtian Pan, Xiangyu Guo, Peng Yin, Xiao-Jiang Li, Hong Jiang, Shihua Li, Su Yang
×Abstract
Immune and clinical outcomes to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection vary greatly between individuals, yet the underlying genetic and cellular mechanisms driving this heterogeneity remain poorly understood. We performed a cellular genome-wide association study to identify genetic variants associated with Mtb-induced monocyte transcriptional expression of IL1B, IL6, TNF, and IFNB1 via RNA-Seq in a Ugandan cohort. Significantly associated variants were assessed for transferability in an independent Seattle cohort, further validated in vitro, and assessed for clinical phenotype associations. We identified 77 loci suggestively associated with Mtb-induced cytokine expression in monocytes in Uganda. SNPs associated with Mtb-induced TNF were enriched within α-linolenic acid metabolism pathway genes, which was validated in vitro using PLA2 inhibitors. Four loci maintained significant associations in Seattle. We validated a cytokine effect with siRNA knockdown for two of these loci, which mapped to the genes SLIT3 and SLC1A1. Furthermore, exogenous treatment of macrophages with SLIT3 enhanced Mtb intracellular replication. Finally, SLC1A1 and SLIT3 variants were associated with susceptibility to tuberculous meningitis and subsequent survival, respectively, in a Vietnamese cohort. In summary, we identified multiple variants and pathways associated with Mtb-induced cytokine transcriptional responses that were validated in vitro and were associated with clinical tuberculosis susceptibility.
Authors
Joshua J. Ivie, Kimberly A. Dill-McFarland, Jason D. Simmons, Glenna J. Peterson, Penelope H. Benchek, Harriet Mayanja-Kizza, Lily E. Veith, Moeko Agata, Dang T.M. Ha, Ho D.T. Nghia, W. Henry Boom, Catherine M. Stein, Chiea C. Khor, Guy E. Thwaites, Hoang T. Hai, Nguyen T.T. Thuong, Xuling Chang, Sarah J. Dunstan, Thomas R. Hawn
×Abstract
Defects in the early events of insulin biosynthesis, including inefficient preproinsulin (PPI) translocation across the membrane of the ER and proinsulin (PI) misfolding in the ER, can cause diabetes. Cellular machineries involved in these events remain poorly defined. Genes encoding translocon-associated protein α (TRAPα) show linkage to glycemic control in humans, though their pathophysiological role remains unknown. Here, we found that β cell–specific TRAPα-KO mice fed a chow diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) had decreased levels of circulating insulin, with age- and diet-related glucose intolerance. Multiple independent approaches revealed that TRAPα-KO not only causes inefficient PPI translocation but also leads to PI misfolding and ER stress, selectively limiting PI ER export and β cell compensatory potential. Importantly, decreased TRAPα expression was evident in islets of wild-type mice fed the HFD and in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Furthermore, TRAPα expression was positively correlated with insulin content in human islet β cells, and decreased TRAPα was associated with PI maturation defects in T2D islets. Together, these data demonstrate that TRAPα deficiency in pancreatic β cells impairs PPI translocation, PI folding, insulin production, and glucose homeostasis, contributing to its genetic linkage to T2D.
Authors
Xin Li, Jingxin Hu, Yumeng Huang, Hai Zhang, Ning Xu, Yang Liu, Xuan Liu, Yuanyuan Ye, Xinxin Zhang, Xiaoxi Xu, Yuxin Fan, Ziyue Zhang, Weiping J. Zhang, Shusen Wang, Wenli Feng, Peter Arvan, Ming Liu
×Abstract
Mitral valve prolapse is often benign, but progression to mitral regurgitation may require invasive intervention and there is no specific medical therapy. An association of mitral valve prolapse with Marfan syndrome resulting from pathogenic FBN1 variants supports the use of hypomorphic fibrillin-1 mgR mice to investigate mechanisms and therapy for mitral valve disease. mgR mice developed severe myxomatous mitral valve degeneration with mitral regurgitation by 12 weeks of age. Persistent activation of TGF-β and mTOR signaling along with macrophage recruitment preceded histological changes at 4 weeks of age. Short-term mTOR inhibition with rapamycin from 4 to 5 weeks of age prevented TGF-β overactivity and leukocytic infiltrates, while long-term inhibition of mTOR or TGF-β signaling from 4 to 12 weeks of age rescued mitral valve leaflet degeneration. Transcriptomic analysis identified integrins as key receptors in signaling interactions, and serologic neutralization of integrin signaling or a chimeric integrin receptor altering signaling prevented mTOR activation. We confirmed increased mTOR signaling and a conserved transcriptome signature in human specimens of sporadic mitral valve prolapse. Thus, mTOR activation from abnormal integrin-dependent cell–matrix interactions drives TGF-β overactivity and myxomatous mitral valve degeneration, and mTOR inhibition may prevent disease progression of mitral valve prolapse.
Authors
Fu Gao, Qixin Chen, Makoto Mori, Sufang Li, Giovanni Ferrari, Markus Krane, Rong Fan, George Tellides, Yang Liu, Arnar Geirsson
×Abstract
Nociception involves complex signaling, yet intrinsic mechanisms bidirectionally regulating this process remain unexplored. Here, we show that the fibroblast growth factor 13 (FGF13)/Nav1.7 protein–protein interaction (PPI) complex bidirectionally modulates nociception, and that the FGF13/Nav1.7 ratio is upregulated in type 2 diabetic neuropathy (T2DN). PW164, an FGF13/Nav1.7 channel C-terminal tail domain (CTD) PPI interface inhibitor, which reduces complex assembly, selectively suppressed Na+ currents sensitized by capsaicin-induced activation of TRPV1 channels in human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived (hIPSC-derived) sensory neurons and inhibited mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in mice. FGF13 silencing mimics PW164 activity in culture and in vivo. Conversely, ZL192, an FGF13 ligand that stabilizes FGF13/Nav1.7 CTD assembly, sensitized Na+ currents in hIPSC-derived sensory neurons and exerted pronociceptive behavioral responses in mice. ZL192’s effects were abrogated by FGF13 silencing in culture and in vivo and recapitulated by FGF13 overexpression. In a model of T2DN, PW164 injection reduced mechanical hyperalgesia locally and contralaterally without systemic side effects. In donor-derived dorsal root ganglia neurons, FGF13 and Nav1.7 proteins colocalized, and the FGF13/Nav1.7 protein ratio was upregulated in patients with T2DN. Lastly, we found that SCN9A variant V1831F, associated with painless diabetic neuropathy, abolished PW164-directed modulation of the FGF13/Nav1.7 PPI interface. Thus, FGF13 is a rheostat of nociception and promising therapeutic target for diabetic neuropathy pain.
Authors
Aditya K. Singh, Matteo Bernabucci, Nolan M. Dvorak, Zahra Haghighijoo, Jessica Di Re, Nana A. Goode, Feni K. Kadakia, Laura A. Maile, Olumarotimi O. Folorunso, Paul A. Wadsworth, Cynthia M. Tapia, Pingyuan Wang, Jigong Wang, Haiying Chen, Yu Xue, Jully Singh, Kali Hankerd, Isaac J. Gamez, Makenna Kager, Vincent Truong, Patrick Walsh, Stephanie I. Shiers, Nishka Kuttanna, Hanyue Liao, Margherita Marchi, Erika Salvi, Ilaria D’Amato, Daniela D’Amico, Parsa Arman, Catharina G. Faber, Rayaz A. Malik, Marina de Tommaso, Dan Ziegler, Krishna Rajarathnam, Thomas A. Green, Peter M. Grace, Matthew R. Sapio, Michael J. Iadarola, Gregory D. Cuny, Diana S. Chow, Giuseppe Lauria Pinter, Steve Davidson, Dustin P. Green, Jun-Ho La, Jin Mo Chung, Jia Zhou, Theodore J. Price, Elizabeth Salisbury, Subo Yuan, Fernanda Laezza
×Abstract
Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a leading cause of global liver-related mortality. Bacterial infection, especially in patients with decompensated cirrhosis, commonly triggers ACLF and is difficult to treat with antibiotics. Therefore, finding alternative strategies for preventing and managing bacterial infection is an urgent priority. Here, we observed that patients with bacterial infection and decompensated cirrhosis, as well as ACLF mice, exhibited lower fecal panose levels than uninfected controls. Megamonas funiformis, with 4α-glucanosyltransferase (4αGT) as a key enzyme for panose production, was identified as a potential panose producer. Animal experiments demonstrated that panose efficiently reduced liver injury and extended survival in ACLF mice by mitigating bacterial infection. Further results revealed that panose enhanced resistance to bacterial infection by inhibiting oxidative stress–induced gut barrier disruption, thereby limiting bacterial dissemination. Mechanistically, panose interacted with the solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11, also known as xCT) protein to boost antioxidant glutathione levels in intestinal epithelial cells. These findings highlight panose’s potential in preventing bacterial infection, offering a valuable insight into mitigating ACLF progression.
Authors
Jiaxin Li, Shihao Xie, Meiling Chen, Changze Hong, Yuqi Chen, Fengyuan Lyu, Niexin Tang, Tianqi Chen, Lingyan Zhao, Weihao Zou, Hongjuan Peng, Jingna Bao, Peng Gu, Bernd Schnabl, Jinjun Chen, Peng Chen
×Abstract
Contemporary cancer treatment strategies are shifting toward targeted therapies to improve efficacy and minimize toxicity. Here, we report the design and preclinical evaluation of MBRC-101, a first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting EphA5, a receptor tyrosine kinase with an established role in embryonic development but not extensively studied in cancer. We show that EphA5 is expressed in multiple solid tumors, including cancers of the aerodigestive (non–small cell lung, head and neck, gastric, colon, and pancreatic) and genitourinary (bladder and ovary) tracts, as well as most breast cancer subsets (including triple-negative tumors), with limited expression in normal tissues. MBRC-101 is a humanized anti-EphA5 antibody conjugated to monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) through a ThioBridge, thereby ensuring stable drug-to-antibody ratio and reducing off-target effects. MBRC-101 showed potent antitumor activity, achieving complete tumor regression in several patient-derived xenograft models. Preclinical Good Laboratory Practice–compliant toxicology studies in rats and nonhuman primates demonstrated that MBRC-101 is well tolerated, with observed toxicities limited to known MMAE off-target effects. These findings establish EphA5 as a therapeutic target in cancer and support the translational development of MBRC-101 as a promising ADC candidate for clinical evaluation, currently in a first-in-human multicenter investigational trial for patients with advanced solid tumors (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06014658).
Authors
Fernanda I. Staquicini, Fenny H.F. Tang, Vanessa de Oliveira, Sun-Young Kim, Ethan R. Chen, Christopher Markosian, Daniela I. Staquicini, Yongjian Wu, J. Kellogg Parsons, Kirstin F. Barnhart, Stephen C. Alley, Isan Chen, Wadih Arap, Renata Pasqualini
×Abstract
Nuclear size is crucial for cellular functions and often increases with malignancy. Irregular nuclei are linked to aggressive tumors, driven by genetic and epigenetic changes. However, the precise mechanisms controlling nuclear size are still not fully understood. In this study, we demonstrated that cancer-associated speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) mutations enlarged nuclear size by reducing the protein level of lamin B2 (LMNB2), a key nuclear integrity protein. Mechanistically, SPOP bound to LMNB2 and promoted its mono-ubiquitination at lysine-484, which protected it from degradation by the E3 ubiquitin ligase WD repeat domain 26. SPOP mutations disrupted this process, leading to reduced LMNB2 levels and impaired nuclear envelope (NE) integrity. This compromised NE was more vulnerable to damage from farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs), causing nuclear rupture in SPOP-mutant tumor cells. This study identified SPOP as a positive regulator of nuclear size; the findings suggest tumors with SPOP mutations may be vulnerable to FTI-based therapies.
Authors
Zixi Wang, Lei Li, Qi Ye, Yuzeshi Lei, Mingming Lu, Leihong Ye, Jialu Kang, Wenyue Huang, Shan Xu, Ke Wang, Jing Liu, Yang Gao, Chenji Wang, Jian Ma, Lei Li
×Abstract
HIV infection accelerates biological aging, but the contribution of the host’s age to this process is unknown. We investigated the influence of SIV infection in macaques (SIVmac) on the risk of comorbidities and aging in young and old rhesus macaques (RMs) by assessing pathogenesis markers, DNA methylation–based epigenetic age (EA), and EA acceleration (EAA) in blood and tissues. Initially, upon SIV infection, the young RMs showed greater resilience to CD4+ T cell depletion, better control of T cell activation, hypercoagulation, and excessive inflammation, yet this resilience was progressively lost in the advanced stages of infection. During the late stages of infection, the young RMs, but not the aged ones, showed an increase in EA in PBMCs; also, EAA in the cerebellum and heart of young RMs was higher compared with old RMs. SIV infection was more pathogenic in aged animals in early stages, leading to a more rapid disease progression; however, accelerated aging mostly affected young animals, so that the levels of multiple key pathogenesis markers in the young RMs converged toward those specific to aged ones in the late stages of infection. We conclude that SIV infection–driven age acceleration is tissue specific, and that host age influences the susceptibility of different tissues to enhanced aging.
Authors
Anna J. Jasinska, Ranjit Sivanandham, Sindhuja Sivanandham, Cuiling Xu, Juozas Gordevicius, Milda Milčiūtė, Robert T. Brooke, Paola Sette, Tianyu He, Egidio Brocca-Cofano, Benjamin B. Policicchio, Krishna Nayak, Saharsh Talwar, Haritha Annapureddy, Dongzhu Ma, Ruy M. Ribeiro, Cristian Apetrei, Ivona Pandrea
×Abstract
Thiopurines are anticancer agents used for the treatment of leukemia and autoimmune diseases. These purine analogs are characterized by a narrow therapeutic index because of the risk of myelosuppression. With the discovery of NUDIX hydrolase 15 (NUDT15) as a major modulator of thiopurine metabolism and toxicity, we sought to comprehensively examine all members of the NUDIX hydrolase family for their effect on the pharmacologic effects of thiopurine. By performing a NUDIX-targeted CRISPR/Cas9 screen in leukemia cells, we identified NUDT5, whose depletion led to drastic thiopurine resistance. NUDT5 deficiency resulted in a nearly complete depletion of active metabolites of thiopurine and the loss of thioguanine incorporation into DNA. Mechanistically, NUDT5 deletion resulted in substantial alteration in purine nucleotide biosynthesis, as determined by steady-state metabolomics profiling. Stable isotope tracing demonstrated that the loss of NUDT5 was linked to a marked suppression of the purine salvage pathway but with minimal effects on purine de novo synthesis. Finally, we comprehensively identified germline genetic variants in NUDT5 associated with thiopurine-induced myelosuppression in 582 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Collectively, these results pointed to NUDT5 as a key regulator of the thiopurine response primarily through its effects on purine homeostasis, highlighting its potential to inform individualized thiopurine therapy.
Authors
Maud Maillard, Rina Nishii, Hieu S. Vu, Kashi R. Bhattarai, Wenjian Yang, Jing Li, Ute Hofmann, Daniel Savic, Smita Bhatia, Matthias Schwab, Min Ni, Jun J. Yang
×Abstract
Brain metastasis is a major cause of breast cancer (BC) mortality, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. BC cells must breach the blood-brain barrier in order to colonize the brain. Here, we determined that integrin β3 (ITGB3) expression mediated by hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) plays a critical role in metastasis of BC cells to the brain. Hypoxia stimulated BC cell migration and invasion ex vivo and brain colonization in vivo. Knockdown of either HIF-1α or ITGB3 expression impaired brain colonization by human or mouse BC cells injected into the cardiac left ventricle. Exposure of BC cells to hypoxia increased expression of ITGB3 and its incorporation into small extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs harvested from the conditioned medium of hypoxic BC cells showed increased retention in the brain after intracardiac injection that was HIF-1α and ITGB3 dependent. EVs from hypoxic BC cells showed binding to brain endothelial cells (ECs), leading to increased EC–BC cell interaction, increased vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 signaling, increased EC permeability, and increased transendothelial migration of BC cells. Taken together, our studies implicate HIF-1–stimulated production of ITGB3+ EVs as a key mechanism by which hypoxia promotes BC brain metastasis.
Authors
Yongkang Yang, Chelsey Chen, Yajing Lyu, Olesia Gololobova, Xin Guo, Tina Yi-Ting Huang, Vijay Ramu, Varen Talwar, Elizabeth E. Wicks, Shaima Salman, Daiana Drehmer, Dominic Dordai, Qiaozhu Zuo, Kenneth W. Witwer, Kathleen L. Gabrielson, Gregg L. Semenza
×Abstract
Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) is a rate-limiting enzyme for serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) synthesis. Previously, adipocyte TPH1 has been linked to increased adipose 5-HT, reduced brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis, and obesity. However, the role of TPH2, a neural isoform highly expressed in obese adipose tissue, is unknown. Here, we report that adipose tissue expression of TPH2 is dramatically elevated in mice with diet-induced obesity (DIO) and ob/ob mice, as well as in obese humans. In mice fed a high-fat diet, adipocyte TPH2 deficiency improved DIO-induced metabolic complications, enhanced BAT thermogenesis, and increased intestinal energy-harvesting efficiency without affecting adiposity. Conversely, TPH2 overexpression in epididymal adipocytes of chow-fed mice raised adipose and plasma 5-HT levels, suppressed BAT thermogenesis, and exacerbated obesity and metabolic dysfunction. We found that obesity-induced hyperinsulinemia upregulated adipocyte TPH2 expression via activation of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 and SREBP1. In humans, TPH2 mRNA levels in subcutaneous adipose tissue, but not those of TPH1, are positively correlated with fasting plasma insulin concentrations. In summary, our study demonstrates that obesity-associated increases in adipocyte TPH2 can regulate distal tissue physiology and energy metabolism, suggesting that TPH2 could be a potential therapeutic target for obesity and its associated complications.
Authors
Brian I. Park, Andrew R. Reeves, Ying Zhu, Robin A. Wilson, Sophia C. Fernandes, Kimberly K. Buhman, Kelli A. Lytle, Michael D. Jensen, Andrew S. Greenberg
×Abstract
Air pollution is a serious environmental threat to public health; however, the molecular basis underlying its detrimental effects on respiratory fitness remains poorly understood. Here, we showed that exposure to particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5), a substantial fraction of air pollutants, induced the generation of reactive aldehyde species in the airway. We identified aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH1A1), which was selectively expressed in airway epithelium, as an enzyme responsible for detoxifying these reactive aldehyde species. Loss of ALDH1A1 function resulted in the accumulation of aldehyde adducts in the airway, which selectively impaired mucociliary clearance (MCC), a critical defense mechanism against respiratory pathogens. Thus, ALDH1A1-deficient mice pre-exposed to PM2.5 exhibited increased susceptibility to pneumonia. Conversely, pharmacological enhancement of ALDH1A1 activity promoted the restoration of MCC function. These findings elucidate the critical role of aldehyde metabolism in protecting against PM2.5 exposure, offering a potential target to mitigate the negative health consequences of air pollution.
Authors
Noriko Shinjyo, Haruna Kimura, Tomomi Yoshihara, Jun Suzuki, Masaya Yamaguchi, Shigetada Kawabata, Yasutaka Okabe
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Abstract
We recently described the evolution of a community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) USA300 variant responsible for an outbreak of skin and soft tissue infections. Acquisition of a mosaic version of the Φ11 prophage (mΦ11) that increases skin abscess size was an early step in CA-MRSA adaptation that primed the successful spread of the clone. The present report shows how prophage mΦ11 exerts its effect on virulence for skin infection without encoding a known toxin or fitness genes. Abscess size and skin inflammation were associated with DNA methylase activity of an mΦ11-encoded adenine methyltransferase (designated pamA). pamA increased expression of fibronectin-binding protein A (fnbA; FnBPA), and inactivation of fnbA eliminated the effect of pamA on abscess virulence without affecting strains lacking pamA. Thus, fnbA is a pamA-specific virulence factor. Mechanistically, pamA was shown to promote biofilm formation in vivo in skin abscesses, a phenotype linked to FnBPA’s role in biofilm formation. Collectively, these data reveal a critical mechanism—epigenetic regulation of staphylococcal gene expression—by which phage can regulate virulence to drive adaptive leaps by S. aureus.
Authors
Robert J. Ulrich, Magdalena Podkowik, Rebecca Tierce, Irnov Irnov, Gregory Putzel, Nora M. Samhadaneh, Keenan A. Lacey, Daiane Boff, Sabrina M. Morales, Sohei Makita, Theodora K. Karagounis, Erin E Zwack, Chunyi Zhou, Randie H. Kim, Karl Drlica, Alejandro Pironti, Harm van Bakel, Victor J. Torres, Bo Shopsin
Abstract
Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality, and most inborn errors of development are multifactorial in origin, resulting from complex gene-environment interactions. Defining specific gene-environment interactions in the etiology and pathogenesis of congenital disorders is critically needed in the absence of genotype-phenotype correlation but is challenging. This is particularly true for congenital craniofacial anomalies, which account for approximately one-third of all birth defects, as they typically exhibit considerable inter-familial and intra-familial variability. A classic example of this is Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS), which, although primarily caused by mutations in TCOF1, is characterized by considerable variability in the severity of mandibulofacial dysostosis. Here, we describe the genetic and environmental factors with converging effects that mechanistically contribute to the etiology and pathogenesis of craniofacial variation in this rare congenital disorder. We discovered in Tcof1+/- mouse models of TCS, that the combination of different endogenous levels of Tcof1/Treacle protein and reactive oxygen species (ROS) within distinct genetic backgrounds correlates with TCS phenotype severity. Furthermore, geometric morphometric analyses revealed that genotype largely determines the craniofacial shape, but redox status determines the size of individual bones. Taken together, our results highlight the roles of ROS and genomic instability in modulating the variability and phenotypic severity of craniofacial anomalies.
Authors
Sharien Fitriasari, Roberta Fiorino, Thoa H.K. Truong, Mary C. McKinney, Jill Dixon, Michael J. Dixon, Paul A. Trainor
Abstract
Inactivation of cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) defines an immunogenic molecular subtype of prostate cancer characterized by genomic instability and increased intratumoral T cell infiltration. This study reveals that genetic or pharmacologic inactivation of CDK12 and its paralog CDK13 robustly activates stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling across multiple cancer types. Clinical cohort analysis shows that reduced CDK12/13 expression correlates with improved survival and response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Mechanistically, CDK12/13 depletion or targeted degradation induces cytosolic nucleic acid release, triggering STING pathway activation. CDK12/13 degradation delays tumor growth and synergizes with anti-PD1 therapy in syngeneic tumor models, enhancing STING activity and promoting CD8+ T cell infiltration and activation within tumors. Notably, the anti-tumor effects of this combination require STING signaling and functional CD8+ T cells. These findings establish STING activation as the key driver of T cell infiltration and the immune-hot tumor microenvironment in CDK12 mutant cancers, suggesting that dual CDK12/13 inhibitors and degraders activate anti-tumor immunity and potentiate responses to immunotherapies.
Authors
Yi Bao, Yu Chang, Jean Tien, Gabriel Cruz, Fan Yang, Rahul Mannan, Somnath Mahapatra, Radha Paturu, Xuhong Cao, Fengyun Su, Rui Wang, Yuping Zhang, Mahnoor Gondal, Jae Eun Choi, Jonathan K. Gurkan, Stephanie J. Miner, Dan R. Robinson, Yi-Mi Wu, Licheng Zhou, Zhen Wang, Ilona Kryczek, Xiaoju Wang, Marcin Cieslik, Yuanyuan Qiao, Alexander Tsodikov, Weiping Zou, Ke Ding, Arul M. Chinnaiyan
Abstract
The cystine-xCT transporter–glutathione (GSH)–GPX4 axis is the canonical pathway protecting cells from ferroptosis. While GPX4-targeting ferroptosis-inducing compounds (FINs) act independently of mitochondria, xCT-targeting FINs require mitochondrial lipid peroxidation, though the mechanism remains unclear. Since cysteine is also a precursor for coenzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis, here, we demonstrated that CoA supplementation selectively prevented ferroptosis triggered by xCT inhibition by regulating the mitochondrial thioredoxin system. Our data showed that CoA regulated the in vitro enzymatic activity of mitochondrial thioredoxin reductase (TXNRD2) by covalently modifying the thiol group of cysteine (CoAlation) on Cys-483. Replacing Cys-483 with alanine on TXNRD2 abolished its enzymatic activity and ability to protect cells against ferroptosis. Targeting xCT to limit cysteine import and, therefore, CoA biosynthesis reduced CoAlation on TXNRD2. Furthermore, the fibroblasts from patients with disrupted CoA metabolism demonstrated increased mitochondrial lipid peroxidation. In organotypic brain slice cultures, inhibition of CoA biosynthesis led to an oxidized thioredoxin system, increased mitochondrial lipid peroxidation, and loss of cell viability, which were all rescued by ferrostatin-1. These findings identified CoA-mediated post-translational modification to regulate the thioredoxin system as an alternative ferroptosis protection pathway with potential clinical relevance for patients with disrupted CoA metabolism.
Authors
Chao-Chieh Lin, Yi-Tzu Lin, Ssu-Yu Chen, Yasaman Setayeshpour, Yubin Chen, Denise E. Dunn, Taylor Nguyen, Alexander A. Mestre, Adrija Banerjee, Lalitha Guruprasad, Erik J. Soderblom, Guo-Fang Zhang, Chen-Yong Lin, Valeriy Filonenko, Suh Young Jeong, Scott R. Floyd, Susan J. Hayflick, Ivan Gout, Jen-Tsan Chi
Abstract
Pathogenic variants in the gene TMPRSS3 are a common cause of hearing loss in humans, although the causal mechanisms remain unknown. Previous work has shown that Tmprss3Y260X/Y260X mice exhibit normal hair cell development, mechanosensory transduction, and spiral ganglion patterning, but experience rapid hair cell death from P12 to P14 at the onset of hearing. Here, we demonstrate that Tmprss3Y260X/Y260X mice display an early and temporary spike in endocochlear potential (EP) prior to the onset of hair cell death. In vitro experiments with cochlear explants from Tmprss3Y260X/Y260X mice and in vivo studies with Tmprss3Y260X/Y260X mice crossed with two different mutant models that lacked EP generation promoted hair cell survival. Furthermore, systemic administration of furosemide, a drug that reduces EP in vivo, reduced hair cell death in Tmprss3Y260X/Y260X mice. These findings suggest that extracellular factors, including EP, play a role in TMPRSS3-related hair cell survival and hearing loss, and suggest that modulating EP could be a therapeutic strategy.
Authors
A. Eliot Shearer, Yuan-Siao Chen, Stephanie L. Rouse, Xiaohan Wang, Janmaris Marin Fermin, Kevin T.A. Booth, Jasmine Moawad, Nicole Bianca Libiran, Jinan Li, Hae-Young Kim, Michael Hoa, Rafal Olszewski, Jing-Yu Lei, Ernesto Cabrera, Douglas J. Totten, Bo Zhao, Jeffrey R. Holt, Rick F. Nelson
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