The functional integrity of Treg cells is interwoven with cellular metabolism; however, the mechanisms governing Treg cell metabolic programs remain elusive. Here, we identified that the deubiquitinase USP47 inhibited RNA m6A reader YTHDF1-mediated c-Myc translation to maintain Treg cell metabolic and functional homeostasis. USP47 positively correlated with the tumor-infiltrating Treg cell signature in colorectal cancer and gastric cancer patient samples. USP47 ablation compromised Treg cell homeostasis and function in vivo, resulting in the development of inflammatory disorders, and boosted antitumor immune responses. USP47 deficiency in Treg cells triggered the accumulation of the c-Myc protein and in turn exacerbated hyperglycolysis. Mechanistically, USP47 prevented YTHDF1 ubiquitination to attenuate the association of YTHDF1 with translation initiation machinery, thereby decreasing m6A-based c-Myc translation efficiency. Our findings reveal that USP47 directs m6A-dependent metabolic programs to orchestrate Treg cell homeostasis and suggest novel approaches for selective immune modulation in cancer and autoimmune diseases by targeting USP47.
Aiting Wang, Haiyan Huang, Jian-Hong Shi, Xiaoyan Yu, Rui Ding, Yuerong Zhang, Qiaoqiao Han, Zhi-Yu Ni, Xia Li, Ren Zhao, Qiang Zou
Herpes zoster (HZ) is a substantial problem for people with decreased cell-mediated immunity, including older adults. The first vaccine approved for HZ prevention, the zoster vaccine live (ZVL), which provided limited and short-lived protection, has been supplanted by the superior recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV), which provides robust and durable protection. To understand the mechanisms underlying the differential immunologic characteristics of the two vaccines, we used T cell receptor beta sequencing and peptide-MHC class II tetramer staining to analyze gE-specific CD4+ T cell clonotypes in RZV and ZVL recipients. Compared to ZVL, RZV expanded more gE-specific CD4+ clonotypes with greater breadth and higher frequency of public clonotypes. RZV recruited a higher proportion of clonotypes from the naïve than from memory cells, while ZVL recruited equally from memory and naïve compartments. Compared to memory-, naïve-derived clonotypes were more likely to last ≥ 5 years post-immunization. Moreover, the frequency of tetramer+ persistent clones correlated with the frequency of tetramer+ naïve CD4+ T cells pre-vaccination. We conclude that the ability of RZV to recruit naive CD4+ T cells into the response may contribute to the durability of its effect. The abundance, breadth, and the frequency of public clonotypes may further add to its protective effect.
Kerry J. Laing, Emily S. Ford, Michael J. Johnson, Myron J. Levin, David M. Koelle, Adriana Weinberg
The endothelium plays a critical role in the host response to infection, and has been a focus of investigation in sepsis. While it is appreciated that intravascular thrombus formation, severe inflammation, and loss of endothelial integrity impair tissue oxygenation during sepsis, the precise molecular mechanisms that lead to endothelial injury remain poorly understood. We demonstrate herein that endothelial ADAM10 is essential for the pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus sepsis, contributing to a-toxin (Hla)-mediated microvascular thrombus formation and lethality. As ADAM10 is essential for endothelial development and homeostasis, we examined whether other major human sepsis pathogens also rely on ADAM10-dependent pathways in pathogenesis. Mice harboring an endothelial-specific knockout of ADAM10 are protected against lethal Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus pneumoniae sepsis, yet remain fully susceptible to Group B Streptococci and Candida albicans sepsis. These studies illustrate a previously unknown role for ADAM10 in sepsis-associated endothelial injury, and suggest that understanding pathogen-specific divergent host pathways in sepsis may enable more precise targeting of disease.
Danielle N. Alfano, Mark J. Miller, Juliane Bubeck Wardenburg
Increased extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness has been implicated in esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) progression, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. However, the underlying pro-tumorigenic pathways are yet to be defined. Additional work is needed to develop physiologically relevant in vitro 3D culture models that better recapitulate the human tumor microenvironment and can be used to dissect the contributions of matrix stiffness to EAC pathogenesis. Here, we describe a modular, tumor ECM-mimetic hydrogel platform with tunable mechanical properties, defined presentation of cell-adhesive ligands, and protease-dependent degradation that supports robust in vitro growth and expansion of patient-derived EAC 3D organoids (EAC PDOs). Hydrogel mechanical properties control EAC PDO formation, growth, proliferation, and activation of tumor-associated pathways that elicit stem-like properties in the cancer cells, as highlighted through in vitro and in vivo environments. We also demonstrate that the engineered hydrogel serves as a platform to identify potential therapeutic targets to disrupt the contribution of pro-tumorigenic matrix mechanics in EAC. Together, these studies show that an engineered PDO culture platform can be used to elucidate underlying matrix-mediated mechanisms of EAC, and inform the development of therapeutics that target ECM stiffness in EAC.
Ricardo Cruz-Acuña, Secunda W. Kariuki, Kensuke Sugiura, Spyros Karaiskos, Eleanor M. Plaster, Claudia Loebel, Gizem Efe, Tatiana A. Karakasheva, Joel T. Gabre, Jianhua Hu, Jason A. Burdick, Anil K. Rustgi
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive scarring disease arising from impaired regeneration of the alveolar epithelium after injury. During regeneration, type 2 alveolar epithelial cells (AEC2s) assume a transitional state that upregulates multiple keratins, and ultimately differentiate into AEC1s. In IPF, transitional AECs accumulate with ineffectual AEC1 differentiation. However, whether and how transitional cells cause fibrosis, whether keratins regulate transitional cell accumulation and fibrosis, and why transitional AECs and fibrosis resolve in mouse models but accumulate in IPF are unclear. Here, we show that human keratin (KRT) 8 genetic variants are associated with IPF. Krt8-/- mice are protected from fibrosis and accumulation of the transitional state. Keratin (K) 8 regulates expression of macrophage chemokines and macrophage recruitment. Profibrotic macrophages and myofibroblasts promote accumulation of transitional AECs, establishing a K8-dependent positive feedback loop driving fibrogenesis. Finally, rare murine transitional AECs are highly senescent, basaloid, and do not differentiate into AEC1s, recapitulating the aberrant basaloid state in human IPF. We conclude that transitional AECs induce and are maintained by fibrosis in a K8-dependent manner; in mice, most transitional cells and fibrosis resolve, whereas in human IPF, transitional AECs evolve into an aberrant basaloid state which persists with progressive fibrosis.
Fa Wang, Christopher Ting, Kent A. Riemondy, Michael T. Douglas, Kendall M. Foster, Nisha Patel, Norihito Kaku, Alexander E. Linsalata, Jean Nemzek, Brian M. Varisco, Erez Cohen, Jasmine A. Wilson, David W.H. Riches, Elizabeth F. Redente, Diana M. Toivola, Xiaofeng Zhou, Bethany B. Moore, Pierre A. Coulombe, M. Bishir Omary, Rachel L. Zemans
BACKGROUND. Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a life-threatening complication of Still’s disease (SD) characterized by overt immune cell activation and cytokine storm. We aimed to further understand the immunologic landscape of SD and MAS. METHOD. We profiled peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy controls and patients with SD with or without MAS using bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq). We validated and expanded the findings by mass cytometry, flow cytometry and in vitro studies. RESULTS. Bulk RNA-seq of PBMC from patients with SD-associated MAS revealed strong expression of genes associated with type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling and cell proliferation, in addition to the expected IFN-γ signal, compared to healthy controls and SD patients without MAS. scRNA-seq analysis of > 65,000 total PBMC confirmed IFN-I and IFN-γ signatures and localized the cell proliferation signature to cycling CD38+HLA-DR+ cells within CD4+ T cell, CD8+ T cell and NK cell populations. CD38+HLA-DR+ lymphocytes exhibited prominent IFN-g production, glycolysis, and mTOR signaling. Cell-cell interaction modeling suggested a network linking CD38+HLA-DR+ lymphocytes with monocytes through IFN-γ signaling. Notably, the expansion of CD38+HLA-DR+ lymphocytes in MAS was greater than in other systemic inflammatory conditions in children. In vitro stimulation of PBMC demonstrated that IFN-I and IL-15 – both elevated in MAS patients – synergistically augmented the generation of CD38+HLA-DR+ lymphocytes, while Janus kinase inhibition mitigated this response. CONCLUSION. MAS associated with SD is characterized by overproduction of IFN-I, which may act in synergy with IL-15 to generate CD38+HLA-DR+ cycling lymphocytes that produce IFN-γ.
Zhengping Huang, Kailey E. Brodeur, Liang Chen, Yan Du, Holly Wobma, Evan E. Hsu, Meng Liu, Joyce C. Chang, Margaret H. Chang, Janet Chou, Megan Day-Lewis, Fatma Dedeoglu, Olha Halyabar, James A. Lederer, Tianwang Li, Mindy S. Lo, Meiping Lu, Esra Meidan, Jane W. Newburger, Adrienne G. Randolph, Mary Beth F. Son, Robert P. Sundel, Maria L. Taylor, Huaxiang Wu, Qing Zhou, Scott W. Canna, Kevin Wei, Lauren A. Henderson, Peter A. Nigrovic, Pui Y. Lee
Aberrant androgen receptor (AR) signalling drives prostate cancer (PC) and is a key therapeutic target. Although initially effective, the generation of alternatively spliced AR variants (AR-Vs) compromises efficacy of treatments. In contrast to full-length AR (AR-FL), AR-Vs constitutively activate androgenic signalling and are refractory to the current repertoire of AR-targeting therapies, which together drives disease progression. There is an unmet clinical need therefore to develop more durable PC therapies that can attenuate AR-V function. Exploiting the requirement of co-regulatory proteins for AR-V function has the capacity to furnish tractable routes for attenuating persistent oncogenic AR signalling in advanced PC. DNA-PKcs regulates AR-FL transcriptional activity and is upregulated in both early and advanced PC. We hypothesised that DNA-PKcs is critical for AR-V function. Using a novel proximity biotinylation approach, we demonstrate that the DNA-PK holoenzyme is part of the AR-V7 interactome and is a key regulator of AR-V-mediated transcription and cell growth in models of advanced PC. Crucially, we provide evidence that DNA-PKcs controls global splicing, and via RBMX, regulates the maturation of AR-V and AR-FL transcripts. Ultimately, our data indicates that targeting DNA-PKcs attenuates AR-V signalling and provides evidence that DNA-PKcs blockade is an effective therapeutic option in advanced AR-V positive PC patients.
Beth Adamson, Nicholas Brittain, Laura Walker, Ruaridh Duncan, Sara Luzzi, Pasquale Rescigno, Graham R. Smith, Suzanne McGill, Richard J.S. Burchmore, Elaine Willmore, Ian Hickson, Craig N. Robson, Denisa Bogdan, Juan M. Jimenez-Vacas, Alec Paschalis, Jonathan Welti, Wei Yuan, Stuart R. McCracken, Rakesh Heer, Adam Sharp, Johann de Bono, Luke Gaughan
Background: Proglucagon can be processed to Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) within the islet but its contribution to islet function in humans remains unknown. We sought to understand whether ‘pancreatic’ GLP-1 alters islet function in humans and whether this is affected by type 2 diabetes.Methods: We therefore studied individuals with and without type 2 diabetes on 2 occasions in random order. On one occasion exendin 9-39, a competitive antagonist of the GLP-1 Receptor (GLP1R), was infused, while on the other saline was infused. The tracer dilution technique ([3-3H] glucose) was used to measure glucose turnover during fasting and during a hyperglycemic clamp.Results: Exendin 9-39 increased fasting glucose concentrations; fasting islet hormone concentrations were unchanged, but inappropriate for the higher fasting glucose observed. In people with type 2 diabetes fasting glucagon concentrations were markedly elevated and persisted despite hyperglycemia. This impaired suppression of endogenous glucose production by hyperglycemia. These data show that GLP1R blockade impairs islet function, implying that intra-islet GLP1R activation alters islet responses to glucose and does so to a greater degree in people with type 2 diabetes.
Andrew A. Welch, Rahele A. Farahani, Aoife M. Egan, Marcello C. Laurenti, Maya Zeini, Max Vella, Kent R. Bailey, Claudio Cobelli, Chiara Dalla Dalla Man, Aleksey Matveyenko, Adrian Vella
The BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax is effective in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL); however, resistance may develop over time. Other lymphoid malignancies such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are frequently intrinsically resistant to venetoclax. Although genomic resistance mechanisms such as BCL-2 mutations have been described, this likely only explains a subset of resistant cases. Using two complementary functional precision medicine techniques -- BH3-profiling and high throughput-kinase activity mapping -- we found that hyperphosphorylation of BCL-2 family proteins, including anti-apoptotic MCL-1 and BCL-2 and pro-apoptotic BAD and BAX, underlies functional mechanisms of both intrinsic and acquired resistance of venetoclax in CLL and DLBCL. Additionally, we provide evidence that anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family protein phosphorylation alters the apoptotic protein interactome, thereby changing the profile of functional dependence on these pro-survival proteins. Targeting BCL-2 family protein phosphorylation with phosphatase-activating drugs re-wired these dependences, thus restoring sensitivity to venetoclax in a panel of venetoclax resistant lymphoid cell lines, resistant mouse model, and paired patient samples pre-venetoclax and at time of progression.
Stephen Jun Fei Chong, Fen Zhu, Olga Dashevsky, Rin Mizuno, Jolin X.H. Lai, Liam Hackett, Christine E. Ryan, Mary C. Collins, J. Bryan Iorgulescu, Romain Guièze, Johany Penailillo, Ruben Carrasco, Yeonjoo C. Hwang, Denise P. Muñoz, Mehdi Bouhaddou, Yaw Chyn Lim, Catherine J. Wu, John N. Allan, Richard R. Furman, Boon Cher Goh, Shazib Pervaiz, Jean-Philippe Coppé, Constantine S. Mitsiades, Matthew S. Davids
Monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) from blood circulation infiltrate glioblastoma (GBM) and promote growth. Here we show that PDGFB-driven GBM cells induce the expression of the potent pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β in MDM, which engages IL-1R1 in tumor cells, activates the NF-kB pathway, and subsequently leads to induction of monocyte chemoattractant proteins (MCPs). Thus, a feedforward paracrine circuit of IL-1β/IL-1R1 between tumors and MDM creates an interdependence driving PDGFB-driven GBM progression. Genetic loss or locally antagonizing IL-1β/IL-1R1 leads to reduced MDM infiltration, diminished tumor growth, reduced exhausted CD8+ T cells, and thereby extends the survival of tumor-bearing mice. In contrast to IL-1β, IL-1α exhibits anti-tumor effects. Genetic deletion of Il1a/b is associated with decreased recruitment of lymphoid cells and loss of interferon signaling in various immune populations and subsets of malignant cells and is associated with decreased survival time of PDGFB-driven tumor-bearing mice. In contrast to PDGFB-driven GBM, Nf1-silenced tumors have a constitutively-active NF-kB pathway, which drives the expression of MCPs to recruit monocytes into tumors. These results indicate local antagonism of IL-1β could be considered as an effective therapy specifically for proneural GBM.
Zhihong Chen, Bruno Giotti, Milota Kaluzova, Montserrat Puigdelloses Vallcorba, Kavita Rawat, Gabrielle Price, Cameron J. Herting, Gonzalo Piñero, Simona Cristea, James L. Ross, James Ackley, Victor Maximov, Frank Szulzewsky, Wes Thomason, Mar Marquez-Ropero, Angelo Angione, Noah Nichols, Nadejda M. Tsankova, Franziska Michor, Dmitry M. Shayakhmetov, David H. Gutmann, Alexander M. Tsankov, Dolores Hambardzumyan
Systemic autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases are characterized by genetic and cellular heterogeneity. While current single-cell genomics methods provide insights into known disease subtypes, these analysis methods do not readily reveal novel cell-type perturbation programs shared amongst distinct patient subsets. Here, we performed single-cell RNA-Seq of PBMCs of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) patients with diverse clinical manifestations, including macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) and lung disease (LD). We introduced two new computational frameworks called UDON and SATAY-UDON which define new patient subtypes based on their underlying disrupted cellular programs as well as associated biomarkers or clinical features. Among twelve independently identified subtypes, this analysis uncovered a novel complement and interferon activation program identified in SJIA-LD monocytes. Extending these analyses to adult and pediatric lupus patients found new but also shared disease programs with SJIA, including interferon and complement activation. Finally, supervised comparison of these programs in a compiled single-cell pan-immune atlas of over 1,000 healthy donors found a handful of normal healthy donors with evidence of early inflammatory activation in subsets of monocytes and platelets, nominating new possible biomarkers for early disease detection. Thus, integrative pan-immune single-cell analysis resolved new conserved gene programs underlying inflammatory disease pathogenesis and associated complications.
Emely L. Verweyen, Kairavee Thakkar, Sanjeev Dhakal, Elizabeth J. Baker, Kashish Chetal, Daniel Schnell, Scott W. Canna, Alexei A. Grom, Nathan Salomonis, Grant S. Schulert
Productively infected cells are generally thought to arise by HIV infection of activated CD4+ T cells, and these infected activated cells are also thought to be a recurring source of latently infected cells when a portion of the population transitions to a resting state. We discovered and report here that productively and latently infected cells can instead originate by direct infection of resting CD4+ T cell populations in lymphoid tissues in Fiebig I, the earliest stage of detectable HIV infection. We found that direct infection of resting CD4+ T cells was correlated with the availability of susceptible target cells in lymphoid tissues restricted to resting CD4+ T cells and expression of pTEFb in these resting cells to enable productive infection, and we documented persistence of HIV producing resting T cells during ART. We thus provide evidence of a mechanism by which direct infection of resting T cell populations in lymphoid tissues to generate productively and latently infected cells could continually replenish both populations and maintain two sources of virus from which HIV infection can rebound, even if ART is instituted at the earliest stage of detectable infection.
Stephen W. Wietgrefe, Jodi Anderson, Lijie Duan, Peter J. Southern, Paul Zuck, Guoxin Wu, Bonnie J. Howell, Cavan Reilly, Eugène Kroon, Suthat Chottanapund, Supranee Buranapraditkun, Carlo Sacdalan, Nicha Tulmethakaan, Donn J. Colby, Nitiya Chomchey, Peeriya Prueksakaew, Suteeraporn Pinyakorn, Rapee Trichavaroj, Julie L. Mitchell, Lydie Trautmann, Denise C. Hsu, Sandhya Vasan, Sopark Manasnayakorn, Mark de Souza, Sodsai Tovanabutra, Alexandra Schuetz, Merlin L. Robb, Nittaya Phanuphak, Jintanat Ananworanich, Timothy W. Schacker, Ashley T. Haase
Antibody-drug conjugates(ADCs) are promising targeted cancer therapy; however, patient selection based solely on target antigen expression without consideration for cytotoxic payload vulnerabilities has plateaued clinical benefits. Biomarkers to capture patients who might benefit from specific ADCs have not been systematically determined for any cancer. We present a comprehensive therapeutic and biomarker analysis of a B7H3-ADC with pyrrolobenzodiazepine(PBD) payload in 26 treatment-resistant, metastatic prostate cancer(mPC) models. B7H3 is a tumor-specific surface protein widely expressed in mPC, and PBD is a DNA cross-linking agent. B7H3 expression was necessary but not sufficient for B7H3-PBD-ADC responsiveness. RB1 deficiency and/or replication stress, characteristics of poor prognosis, conferred sensitivity and were associated with complete tumor regression in both neuroendocrine (NEPC) and androgen receptor positive(ARPC) prostate cancer models, even with low B7H3 levels. Non-ARPC models, which are currently lacking efficacious treatment, demonstrated the highest replication stress and were most sensitive to treatment. In RB1 wild-type ARPC tumors, SLFN11 expression or select DNA repair mutations in SLFN11 non-expressors governed response. Importantly, wild-type TP53 predicted non-responsiveness (7/8 models). Overall, biomarker-focused selection of models led to high efficacy of in vivo treatment. These data enable a paradigm shift to biomarker-driven trial designs for maximizing clinical benefit of ADC therapies.
Supreet Agarwal, Lei Fang, Kerry McGowen, JuanJuan Yin, Joel Bowman, Anson T. Ku, Aian Neil Alilin, Eva Corey, Martine P. Roudier, Lawrence D. True, Ruth F. Dumpit, Ilsa Coleman, John K. Lee, Peter S. Nelson, Brian J. Capaldo, Aida Mariani, Clare E. Hoover, Ilya S. Senatorov, Michael Beshiri, Adam G. Sowalsky, Elaine M. Hurt, Kathleen Kelly
The facilitative GLUT1 and GLUT3 hexose transporters are expressed abundantly in macrophages, but whether they have distinct functions remains unclear. We confirmed that GLUT1 expression increased after M1 polarization stimuli and found that GLUT3 expression increased after M2 stimulation in macrophages. Conditional deletion of Glut3 (LysM-Cre Glut3fl/fl) impaired M2 polarization of bone marrow derived macrophages. Alternatively activated macrophages from the skin of atopic dermatitis patients showed increased GLUT3 expression, and a calcipotriol-induced model of atopic dermatitis was rescued LysM-Cre Glut3fl/fl mice. M2-like macrophages expressed GLUT3 in human wound tissues as assessed by transcriptomics and co-staining, and GLUT3 expression was significantly decreased in non-healing, compared with healing, diabetic foot ulcers. In an excisional wound healing model, LysM-Cre Glut3fl/fl mice showed significantly impaired M2 macrophage polarization and delayed wound healing. GLUT3 promoted IL-4/STAT6 signaling, independent from its glucose transport activity. Unlike plasma membrane-localized GLUT1, GLUT3 was localized primarily to endosomes and was required for the efficient endocytosis of IL4Ra subunits. GLUT3 interacted directly with GTP-bound RAS in vitro and in vivo through its intracytoplasmic loop domain (ICH), and this interaction was required for efficient STAT6 activation and M2 polarization. PAK activation and macropinocytosis were also impaired without GLUT3, suggesting broader roles for GLUT3 in the regulation of endocytosis. Thus, GLUT3 is required for efficient alternative macrophage polarization and function, through a glucose transport-independent, RAS-mediated role in the regulation of endocytosis and IL-4/STAT6 activation.
Dong-Min Yu, Jiawei Zhao, Eunice E. Lee, Dohun Kim, Ruchika Mahapatra, Elysha K. Rose, Zhiwei Zhou, Calvin R. Hosler, Abdullah El-Kurdi, Jun-yong Choe, E. Dale Abel, Gerta Hoxhaj, Kenneth D. Westover, Raymond J. Cho, Jeffrey B. Cheng, Richard C. Wang
The metastasis of cancer cells is the main cause of death for patients with gastric cancer (GC). Mounting evidence has demonstrated the vital importance of tumor-associated macrophages in promoting tumor invasion and metastasis; however, the interaction between tumor cells and macrophages in GC is largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that cyclase-associated protein 2 (CAP2) was upregulated in GC, especially in cases with lymph node metastasis, and was correlated with a poorer prognosis. The transcription factor JUN directly bound to the promoter region of CAP2 and activated CAP2 transcription. The N-terminal domain of CAP2 bound to the WD5-7 domain of receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) and induced M2 macrophage polarization by activating the SRC/focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/ ERK signaling pathway, which resulted in interleukin-4 (IL4) and IL10 secretion. Polarized M2 macrophages induced premetastatic niche formation and promoted GC metastasis by secreting transforming growth factor beta (TGFB1), which created a TGFB1/JUN/CAP2-positive feedback loop to activate CAP2 expression continuously. Furthermore, we identified Salvianolic acid B as an inhibitor of CAP2, which effectively inhibited GC cell invasion capabilities by suppressing the SRC/FAK/ERK signaling pathway. Our data suggest that CAP2, a key molecule mediating the interaction between GC cells and tumor-associated macrophages, may be a promising therapeutic target for suppressing tumor metastasis in GC.
Guohao Zhang, Zhaoxin Gao, Xiangyu Guo, Ranran Ma, Xiaojie Wang, Pan Zhou, Chunlan Li, Zhiyuan Tang, Ruinan Zhao, Peng Gao
Expansion of CAG and CTG (CWG) triplet repeats causes several inherited neurological diseases. The CWG repeat diseases are thought to involve complex pathogenic mechanisms through expanded CWG repeat-derived RNAs in a non-coding and polypeptides in a coding region, respectively. However, an effective therapeutic approach has not been established for the CWG repeat diseases. Here, we show that a CWG repeat DNA-targeting compound, cyclic pyrrole¬–imidazole polyamide (CWG-cPIP), suppresses the pathogenesis of coding and non-coding CWG repeat diseases. CWG-cPIP binds to the hairpin form of mismatched CWG DNA, interfering with transcription elongation by RNA polymerase through a preferential activity towards repeat-expanded DNA. We found that CWG-cPIP selectively inhibits pathogenic mRNA transcripts from expanded CWG repeats, reducing CUG RNA foci and polyglutamine accumulation in cells from patients with myotonic dystrophy type-1 (DM1) and Huntington’s disease (HD). Treatment with CWG-cPIP ameliorated behavioral deficits in adeno-associated virus-mediated CWG repeat-expressing mice and a genetic mouse model of HD, without cytotoxicity or off-target effects. Together, we present a novel candidate compound that targets expanded CWG repeat DNA independent of its genomic location and reduces both pathogenic RNA and protein levels. CWG-cPIP may be used for the treatment of CWG repeat diseases and for improving clinical outcomes.
Susumu Ikenoshita, Kazuya Matsuo, Yasushi Yabuki, Kosuke Kawakubo, Sefan Asamitsu, Karin Hori, Shingo Usuki, Yuki Hirose, Toshikazu Bando, Kimi Araki, Mitsuharu Ueda, Hiroshi Sugiyama, Norifumi Shioda
BACKGROUND. HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells contribute to latent reservoir persistence by proliferating while avoiding immune recognition. Integration features of intact proviruses in elite controllers (EC) and people on long-term therapy suggests that proviruses in specific chromosomal locations can evade immune surveillance. However, direct evidence of this mechanism is missing. METHODS. In this case report, we characterized integration sites and full genome sequences of expanded T cell clones in an EC before and after chemoradiation. We identified the cognate peptide of infected clones to investigate cell proliferation and virus production induced by T cell activation, and susceptibility to autologous CD8+ T cells. RESULTS. The proviral landscape was dominated by two large clones with replication-competent proviruses integrated into Zinc Finger genes (ZNF470 and ZNF721) in locations previously associated with deeper latency. A third nearly intact provirus, with a stop codon in Pol, was integrated into an intergenic site. Upon stimulation with cognate Gag peptides, infected clones proliferated extensively and produced virus, but the provirus in ZNF721 was 200-folds less inducible. While autologous CD8+ T cells decreased the proliferation of cells carrying the intergenic provirus, they had no effect on cells with the provirus in the ZNF721 gene. CONCLUSION. We provide direct evidence that upon activation of infected clones by cognate antigen, the lower inducibility of intact proviruses in ZNF genes can result in immune evasion and persistence. FUNDING. Office of the NIH Director and National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research; NIAID, NIH; Johns Hopkins University Center for AIDS Research.
Filippo Dragoni, Abena Kwaa, Caroline C.G. Traut, Rebecca T. Veenhuis, Bezawit A. Woldemeskel, Angelica Camilo-Contreras, Hayley E. Raymond, Arbor G. Dykema, Eileen P. Scully, Amanda M. Rosecrans, Kellie N. Smith, Frederic D. Bushman, Francesco R. Simonetti, Joel N. Blankson
Prashant Rai, Martin Sharpe, Charan K. Ganta, Paul J. Baker, Katrin D. Mayer-Barber, Brian E. Fee, Gregory A. Taylor, Michael B. Fessler
Unabated activation of NLRP3 inflammasome activation is linked with the pathogenesis of various inflammatory disorders. PLK1 has been widely studied for its role in mitosis. Here, employing both pharmacological and genetic approaches, we demonstrated that PLK1 promoted NLRP3 inflammasome activation at cell interphase. Using an unbiased Bio-ID screen for PLK1 interactome in macrophages, we showed an enhanced proximal association of NLRP3 with PLK1 upon NLRP3 inflammasome activation. We further confirmed the interaction between PLK1 and NLRP3, and identified the interacting domains. Mechanistically, we showed that PLK1 orchestrated microtubule organizing center (MTOC) structure and NLRP3 subcellular positioning upon inflammasome activation. Treatment with a selective PLK1 kinase inhibitor suppressed IL1B production in in-vivo inflammatory models, including lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxemia and monosodium urate-induced peritonitis in mice. Our results uncover an unprecedented role of PLK1 in regulating NLRP3 inflammasome activation during interphase, and identify pharmacological inhibition of PLK1 as a potential therapeutic strategy for inflammatory diseases with excessive NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
Marta Baldrighi, Christian Doreth, Yang Li, Xiaohui Zhao, Emily F. Warner, Hannah Chenoweth, Kamal Kishore, Yagnesh Umrania, David-Paul Minde, Sarah Winkler, Xian Yu, Yuning Lu, Alice Knapton, James Harrison, Murray C.H. Clarke, Eicke Latz, Guillermo de Cárcer, Marcos Malumbres, Bernhard Ryffel, Clare E. Bryant, Jinping Liu, Kathryn S. Lilley, Ziad Mallat, Xuan Li
CD8+ T cells outnumber CD4+ cells in multiple sclerosis lesions associated with disease progression, but the pathogenic role and antigenic targets of these clonally expanded effectors are unknown. Based on evidence that demyelination is necessary but not sufficient for disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS), we previously hypothesized that CNS-infiltrating CD8+ T cells specific for neuronal antigens directly drive the axon and neuron injury that leads to cumulative neurologic disability in MS patients. We now show that demyelination induced expression of MHC class I on neurons and axons and resulted in presentation of a neuron-specific neoantigen (synapsin promoter-driven chicken ovalbumin) to antigen-specific CD8+ T cells (anti-ovalbumin OT-I transgenic T cells). These neuroantigen-specific effectors surveilled the CNS in the absence of demyelination but were not retained. However, upon induction of demyelination via cuprizone intoxication, neuroantigen-specific CD8+ T cells proliferated, accumulated in the CNS, and damaged neoantigen-expressing neurons and axons. We further report elevated neuronal expression of MHC class I and β2-microglobulin transcripts and protein in gray matter and white matter tracts in tissue from patients with MS. These findings support a pathogenic role for autoreactive anti-axonal and anti-neuronal CD8+ T cells in MS progression.
Benjamin D.S. Clarkson, Ethan M. Grund, Miranda M. Standiford, Kanish Mirchia, Maria S. Westphal, Elizabeth S. Muschler, Charles L. Howe