技术资料

Ectopic expression of the transcription factors Oct4,Sox2,c-Myc,and Klf4 in fibroblasts generates induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Little is known about the nature and sequence of molecular events accompanying nuclear reprogramming. Using doxycycline-inducible vectors,we have shown that exogenous factors are required for about 10 days,after which cells enter a self-sustaining pluripotent state. We have identified markers that define cell populations prior to and during this transition period. While downregulation of Thy1 and subsequent upregulation of SSEA-1 occur at early time points,reactivation of endogenous Oct4,Sox2,telomerase,and the silent X chromosome mark late events in the reprogramming process. Cell sorting with these markers allows for a significant enrichment of cells with the potential to become iPS cells. Our results suggest that factor-induced reprogramming is a gradual process with defined intermediate cell populations that contain the majority of cells poised to become iPS cells. View Publication

Background:Latency reversing agents (LRAs) such as protein kinase C (PKC) modulators can reduce rebound-competent HIV reservoirs in small animal models. Furthermore,administration of natural killer (NK) cells following LRA treatment improves this reservoir reduction. It is currently unknown why the combination of a PKC modulator and NK cells is so potent and whether exposure to PKC modulators may augment NK cell function in some way.Methods:Primary human NK cells were treated with PKC modulators (bryostatin-1,prostratin,or the designed,synthetic bryostatin-1 analog SUW133),and evaluated by examining expression of activation markers by flow cytometry,analyzing transcriptomic profiles by RNA sequencing,measuring cytotoxicity by co-culturing with K562 cells,assessing cytokine production by Luminex assay,and examining the ability of cytokines and secreted factors to independently reverse HIV latency by co-culturing with Jurkat-Latency (J-Lat) cells.Results:PKC modulators increased expression of proteins involved in NK cell activation. Transcriptomic profiles from PKC-treated NK cells displayed signatures of cellular activation and enrichment of genes associated with the NFκB pathway. NK cell cytotoxicity was unaffected by prostratin but significantly decreased by bryostatin-1 and SUW133. Cytokines from PKC-stimulated NK cells did not induce latency reversal in J-Lat cell lines.Conclusions:Although PKC modulators have some significant effects on NK cells,their contribution in “kick and kill” strategies is likely due to upregulating HIV expression in CD4+ T cells,not directly enhancing the effector functions of NK cells. This suggests that PKC modulators are primarily augmenting the “kick” rather than the “kill” arm of this HIV cure approach. View Publication

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays a key role in maintaining energy homeostasis. Activation of AMPK in peripheral tissues has been shown to alleviate the symptoms of metabolic diseases,such as type 2 diabetes,and consequently AMPK is a target for treatment of these diseases. Recently,a small molecule activator (A-769662) of AMPK was identified that had beneficial effects on metabolism in ob/ob mice. Here we show that A-769662 activates AMPK both allosterically and by inhibiting dephosphorylation of AMPK on Thr-172,similar to the effects of AMP. A-769662 activates AMPK harboring a mutation in the gamma subunit that abolishes activation by AMP. An AMPK complex lacking the glycogen binding domain of the beta subunit abolishes the allosteric effect of A-769662 but not the allosteric activation by AMP. Moreover,mutation of serine 108 to alanine,an autophosphorylation site within the glycogen binding domain of the beta1 subunit,almost completely abolishes activation of AMPK by A-769662 in cells and in vitro,while only partially reducing activation by AMP. Based on our results we propose a model for activation of AMPK by A-769662. Importantly,this model may provide clues for understanding the mechanism by which AMP leads to activation of AMPK,which in turn may help in the identification of other AMPK activators. View Publication

Hypoxia augments human embryonic stem cell (hESC) self-renewal via hypoxia-inducible factor 2??-activated OCT4 transcription. Hypoxia also increases the efficiency of reprogramming differentiated cells to a pluripotent-like state. Combined,these findings suggest that low O2 tension would impair the purposeful differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. Here,we show that low O2 tension and hypoxiainducible factor (HIF) activity instead promote appropriate hESC differentiation. Through gain- and loss-of-function studies,we implicate O2 tension as a modifier of a key cell fate decision,namely whether neural progenitors differentiate toward neurons or glia. Furthermore,our data show that even transient changes in O2 concentration can affect cell fate through HIF by regulating the activity of MYC,a regulator of LIN28/let-7 that is critical for fate decisions in the neural lineage.We also identify key small molecules that can take advantage of this pathway to quickly and efficiently promote the development of mature cell types. View Publication

We used a panel of human and mouse fibroblasts with various abilities for supporting the prolonged growth of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to elucidate growth factors required for hESC survival,proliferation,and maintenance of the undifferentiated and pluripotent state (self-renewal). We found that supportive feeder cells secrete growth factors required for both hESC survival/proliferation and blocking hESC spontaneous differentiation to achieve self-renewal. The antidifferentiation soluble factor is neither leukemia inhibitory factor nor Wnt,based on blocking experiments using their antagonists. Because Wnt/beta-catenin signaling has been implicated in cell-fate determination and stem cell expansion,we further examined the effects of blocking or adding recombinant Wnt proteins on undifferentiated hESCs. In the absence of feeder cell-derived factors,hESCs cultured under a feeder-free condition survived/proliferated poorly and gradually differentiated. Adding recombinant Wnt3a stimulated hESC proliferation but also differentiation. After 4-5 days of Wnt3a treatment,hESCs that survived maintained the undifferentiated phenotype but few could form undifferentiated hESC colonies subsequently. Using a functional reporter assay,we found that the beta-catenin-mediated transcriptional activation in the canonical Wnt pathway was minimal in undifferentiated hESCs,but greatly upregulated during differentiation induced by the Wnt treatment and several other methods. Thus,Wnt/beta-catenin activation does not suffice to maintain the undifferentiated and pluripotent state of hESCs. We propose a new model for the role of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in undifferentiated hESCs. View Publication

The role of negative checkpoint regulators (NCRs) in human health and disease cannot be overstated. V-domain Ig-containing Suppressor of T-cell Activation (VISTA) is an Ig superfamily protein predominantly expressed within the hematopoietic compartment and has been studied for its role in the negative regulation of T cell responses. The findings presented in this study show that,unlike all other NCRs,VISTA deficiency dramatically impacts on macrophage cytokine and chemokine production,as well as the chemotactic response of VISTA-deficient macrophages. A select group of inflammatory chemokines,including CCL2,CCL3,CCL4,and CCL5,was strikingly elevated in culture supernatants from VISTA KO macrophages. VISTA deficiency also altered chemokine receptor recycling and profoundly disrupted myeloid chemotaxis. The impact of VISTA deficiency on chemotaxis in vivo was apparent with the reduced ability of both KO macrophages and MDSCs to migrate to the tumor microenvironment. This is the first demonstration of an NCR impacting on myeloid mediator production and chemotaxis,and will guide the use of anti-VISTA therapeutics to manipulate the chemotaxis of inflammatory macrophages or immunosuppressive MDSCs in inflammatory diseases and cancer. View Publication

This study sheds light on the pivotal role of the oncoprotein DEK in B-cell lymphoma. We reveal DEK expression correlates with increased tumor proliferation and inferior overall survival in cases diagnosed with low-grade B-cell lymphoma (LGBCL). We also found significant correlation between DEK expression and copy number alterations in LGBCL tumors,highlighting a novel mechanism of LGBCL pathogenesis that warrants additional exploration. To interrogate the mechanistic role of DEK in B-cell lymphoma,we generated a DEK knockout cell line model,which demonstrated DEK depletion caused reduced proliferation and altered expression of key cell cycle and apoptosis-related proteins,including Bcl-2,Bcl-xL,and p53. Notably,DEK depleted cells showed increased sensitivity to apoptosis-inducing agents,including venetoclax and staurosporine,which underscores the therapeutic potential of targeting DEK in B-cell lymphomas. Overall,our study contributes to a better understanding of DEK’s role as an oncoprotein in B-cell lymphomas,highlighting its potential as both a promising therapeutic target and a novel biomarker for aggressive LGBCL. Further research elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying DEK-mediated tumorigenesis could pave the way for improved treatment strategies and better clinical outcomes for patients with B-cell lymphoma. View Publication

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) can be induced to differentiate into myogenic cells. Despite their potential,previous studies have not been successful in producing a high percentage of cardiac-like cells with a muscle phenotype. We hypothesized that cardiac lineage development in BM-MSC is related to cell passage,culture milieu,and enrichment for specific cell subtypes before and during differentiation. Our study demonstrated that Lin(-) BM-MSC at an intermediate passage (IP; P8-P12) expressed cardiac troponin T (cTnT) after 21 days in culture. Cardiac TnT expression was similar whether IP cells were differentiated in media containing 5-azacytidine+2% FBS (AZA; 14%) or 2% FBS alone (LS; 12%) and both were significantly higher than AZA+5% FBS. This expression was potentiated by first enriching for CD117/Sca-1 cells followed by differentiation (AZA,39% and LS,28%). A second sequential enrichment for the dihydropyridine receptor subunit alpha2delta1 (DHPR-alpha2) resulted in cardiac TnT expressed in 54% of cultured cells compared to 28% of cells after CD117/Sca-1(+) enrichment. Cells enriched for CD117/Sca-1 and subjected to differentiation displayed spontaneous intracellular Ca(2+) transients with an increase in transient frequency and a 60% decrease in the transient duration amplitude between days 14 and 29. In conclusion,IP CD117/Sca-1(+) murine BM-MSCs display robust cardiac muscle lineage development that can be induced independent of AZA but is diminished under higher serum concentrations. Furthermore,temporal changes in calcium kinetics commensurate with increased cTnT expression suggest progressive maturation of a cardiac muscle lineage. Enrichment with CD117/Sca-1 to establish lineage commitment followed by DHPR-alpha2 in lineage developing cells may enhance the therapeutic potential of these cells for transplantation. View Publication

BACKGROUND Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a neutrophil-associated disease. Delayed neutrophil apoptosis and increased levels of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been described in ARDS. We aimed to investigate the relationship between these phenomena and their potential as inflammation drivers. We hypothesized that delayed neutrophil apoptosis might enhance NET formation in ARDS. METHOD Our research was carried out in three aspects: clinical research,animal experiments,and in vitro experiments. First,we compared the difference between neutrophil apoptosis and NET levels in healthy controls and patients with ARDS and analyzed the correlation between neutrophil apoptosis and NET levels in ARDS. Then,we conducted animal experiments to verify the effect of neutrophil apoptosis on NET formation in Lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury (LPS-ALI) mice. Furthermore,this study explored the relationship between neutrophil apoptosis and NETs at the cellular level. Apoptosis was assessed using morphological analysis,flow cytometry,and western blotting. NET formation was determined using immunofluorescence,PicoGreen assay,SYTOX Green staining,and western blotting. RESULTS ARDS neutrophils lived longer because of delayed apoptosis,and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor,AT7519,reversed this phenomenon both in ARDS neutrophils and neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of LPS-ALI mice. Neutrophils in a medium containing pro-survival factors (LPS or GM-CSF) form more NETs,which can also be reversed by AT7519. Tissue damage can be reduced by promoting neutrophil apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS Neutrophils with extended lifespan in ARDS usually enhance NET formation,which aggravates inflammation. Enhancing neutrophil apoptosis in ARDS can reduce the formation of NETs,inhibit inflammation,and consequently alleviate ARDS. View Publication

It has been proposed that the ancestral fungus was mating competent and homothallic. However,many mating-competent fungi were initially classified as asexual because their mating capacity was hidden behind layers of regulation. For efficient in vitro mating,the essentially obligate diploid ascomycete pathogen Candida albicans has to change its mating type locus from heterozygous MTL a /α to homozygous MTL a / a or MTL α/α and then undergo an environmentally controlled epigenetic switch to the mating-competent opaque form. These requirements greatly reduce the potential for C. albicans mating. Deletion of the Yci1 domain gene OFR1 bypasses the need for C. albicans cells to change the mating type locus from heterozygous to homozygous prior to switching to the opaque form and mating and allows homothallic mating of MTL heterozygous strains. This bypass is carbon source dependent and does not occur when cells are grown on glucose. Transcriptional profiling of ofr1 mutant cells shows that in addition to regulating cell type and mating circuitry,Ofr1 is needed for proper regulation of histone and chitin biosynthesis gene expression. It appears that OFR1 is a key regulator in C. albicans and functions in part to maintain the cryptic mating phenotype of the pathogen. View Publication

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification plays a pivotal role in cell fate determination. Previous studies show that eliminating m6A using Mb1-Cre dramatically impairs B cell development. However,whether disturbing m6A modification at later stages affects B cell development and function remains elusive. Here,we deleted m6A methyltransferase Mettl3 from the pro-B stage on using Cd19-Cre (Mettl3 cKO) and found that the frequency of total B cells in peripheral blood,peritoneal cavity,and liver is comparable between Mettl3 cKO mice and wild-type (WT) littermates,while the percentage of whole splenic B cells slightly increases in Mettl3 cKO individuals. The proportion of pre-pro-B,pro-B,pre-B,immature,and mature B cells in the bone marrow were minimally affected. Loss of Mettl3 resulted in increased apoptosis but barely affected B cells' proliferation and IgG production upon LPS,CD40L,anti-IgM,or TNF-$\alpha$ stimulation. Different stimuli had different effects on B cell activation. In addition,B cell-specific Mettl3 knockout had no influence on the pro-fibrogenic activity of B cells in liver fibrosis,evidenced by comparable fibrosis in carbon tetrachloride- (CCl4-) treated Mettl3 cKO mice and WT controls. In summary,our study demonstrated that deletion of Mettl3 from the pro-B stage on has minimal effects on B cell development and function,as well as profibrogenic activity of B cells in liver fibrosis,revealing a stage-specific dependence on Mettl3-mediated m6A of B cell development. View Publication

p18 INK4 C (CDKN2C,encoded by p18 INK4c or Cdkn2c ) is an early G1-phase cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor protein. Previous studies demonstrated enhanced self-renewal capacity of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in p18 −/− mice compared to wild-type (WT) mice. Given the critical role of bone marrow niche cells-particularly mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs)-in hematopoiesis,this study investigated the functional alterations of p18 −/− MSCs and their impact on hematopoietic support. Bone marrow derived MSCs were isolated from p18 −/− and WT mice. Their proliferation and differentiation capacities were assessed,followed by evaluation of hematopoietic support using cobblestone area-forming cell assay and long-term culture-initiating cell assay. RNA sequencing was performed to analyze the transcriptional profile of p18 −/− MSCs,with a focus on differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Key pathways associated with hematopoietic support were identified using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. A candidate protein was quantified by ELISA,and its functional role in hematopoietic support was validated via a modified coculture system. p18 −/− MSCs displayed an increased proliferation rate,preferential differentiation toward osteogenesis over adipogenesis,and enhanced hematopoietic support. RNA sequencing analysis identified 137 DEGs,with secreted phosphoprotein 1 ( Spp1,encoding osteopontin,Opn) being significantly upregulated in p18 −/− MSCs. Elevated Opn levels were confirmed in both bone marrow and MSC-conditioned media from p18 −/− mice. Functional validation further demonstrated that Opn enhanced the hematopoietic supportive capacity of MSCs in vitro. p18 deficiency promotes osteogenic differentiation and enhances the hematopoietic supportive function of MSCs,likely mediated by Opn upregulation. These findings suggest a potential therapeutic strategy for improving bone regeneration and HSC expansion. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-025-04402-6. View Publication