技术资料

Ethanol (EtOH)-induced alterations in intestinal homeostasis lead to multi-system pathologies,including liver injury. $\omega$-6 PUFAs exert pro-inflammatory activity,while $\omega$-3 PUFAs promote anti-inflammatory activity that is mediated,in part,through specialized pro-resolving mediators [e.g.,resolvin D1 (RvD1)]. We tested the hypothesis that a decrease in the $\omega$-6:$\omega$-3 PUFA ratio would attenuate EtOH-mediated alterations in the gut-liver axis. $\omega$-3 FA desaturase-1 (fat-1) mice,which endogenously increase $\omega$-3 PUFA levels,were protected against EtOH-mediated downregulation of intestinal tight junction proteins in organoid cultures and in vivo. EtOH- and lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of INF-$\gamma$,Il-6,and Cxcl1 was attenuated in fat-1 and WT RvD1-treated mice. RNA-seq of ileum tissue revealed upregulation of several genes involved in cell proliferation,stem cell renewal,and antimicrobial defense (including Alpi and Leap2) in fat-1 versus WT mice fed EtOH. fat-1 mice were also resistant to EtOH-mediated downregulation of genes important for xenobiotic/bile acid detoxification. Further,gut microbiome and plasma metabolomics revealed several changes in fat-1 versus WT mice that may contribute to a reduced inflammatory response. Finally,these data correlated with a significant reduction in liver injury. Our study suggests that $\omega$-3 PUFA enrichment or treatment with resolvins can attenuate the disruption in intestinal homeostasis caused by EtOH consumption and systemic inflammation with a concomitant reduction in liver injury. View Publication

Mammalian focal adhesion proteins Pinch1 and Pinch2 regulate integrin activation and cell-extracellular matrix adhesion and migration. Here,we show that deleting Pinch1 in osteocytes and mature osteoblasts using the 10-kb mouse Dmp1-Cre and Pinch2 globally (double KO; dKO) results in severe osteopenia throughout life,while ablating either gene does not cause bone loss,suggesting a functional redundancy of both factors in bone. Pinch deletion in osteocytes and mature osteoblasts generates signals that inhibit osteoblast and bone formation. Pinch-deficient osteocytes and conditioned media from dKO bone slice cultures contain abundant sclerostin protein and potently suppress osteoblast differentiation in primary BM stromal cells (BMSC) and calvarial cultures. Pinch deletion increases adiposity in the BM cavity. Primary dKO BMSC cultures display decreased osteoblastic but enhanced adipogenic,differentiation capacity. Pinch loss decreases expression of integrin $\beta$3,integrin-linked kinase (ILK),and $\alpha$-parvin and increases that of active caspase-3 and -8 in osteocytes. Pinch loss increases osteocyte apoptosis in vitro and in bone. Pinch loss upregulates expression of both Rankl and Opg in the cortical bone and does not increase osteoclast formation and bone resorption. Finally,Pinch ablation exacerbates hindlimb unloading-induced bone loss and impairs active ulna loading-stimulated bone formation. Thus,we establish a critical role of Pinch in control of bone homeostasis. View Publication

The perivascular niche within adipose tissue is known to house multipotent cells,including osteoblast precursors. However,the identity of perivascular subpopulations that may mineralize or ossify most readily is not known. Here,we utilize inducible PDGFR$\alpha$ (platelet-derived growth factor alpha) reporter animals to identify subpopulations of perivascular progenitor cells. Results showed that PDGFR$\alpha$-expressing cells are present in four histologic niches within inguinal fat,including two perivascular locations. PDGFR$\alpha$+ cells are most frequent within the tunica adventitia of arteries and veins,where PDGFR$\alpha$+ cells populate the inner aspects of the adventitial layer. Although both PDGFR$\alpha$+ and PDGFR$\alpha$- fractions are multipotent progenitor cells,adipose tissue-derived PDGFR$\alpha$+ stromal cells proliferate faster and mineralize to a greater degree than their PDGFR$\alpha$- counterparts. Likewise,PDGFR$\alpha$+ ectopic implants reconstitute the perivascular niche and ossify to a greater degree than PDGFR$\alpha$- cell fractions. Adventicytes can be further grouped into three distinct groups based on expression of PDGFR$\alpha$ and/or CD34. When further partitioned,adventicytes co-expressing PDGFR$\alpha$ and CD34 represented a cell fraction with the highest mineralization potential. Long-term tracing studies showed that PDGFR$\alpha$-expressing adventicytes give rise to adipocytes,but not to other cells within the vessel wall under homeostatic conditions. However,upon bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2)-induced ossicle formation,descendants of PDGFR$\alpha$+ cells gave rise to osteoblasts,adipocytes,and pericyte-like" cells within the ossicle. In sum PDGFR$\alpha$ marks distinct perivascular osteoprogenitor cell subpopulations within adipose tissue. The identification of perivascular osteoprogenitors may contribute to our improved understanding of pathologic mineralization/ossification. Stem Cells 2019." View Publication

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) are a group of clonal disorders of hematopoietic stem cells,resulting in ineffective hematopoiesis. Previous studies have reported that decitabine (DAC) plays an essential role in cell cycle arrest and cell death induction in multiple cell types. Nevertheless,the effect of decitabine on mesenchymal stromal cells derived from bone marrow of patients with MDSs is not completely clarified. Here,we explored the apoptotic and anti-proliferative effect of DAC on MSCs isolated from patients with MDSs. Treatment with DAC inhibited cell growth in a concentration- and time-dependent manner by inducing apoptosis. We found a positive relationship between cell death triggered by DAC in MSCs and the death receptor family members Fas and FasL mRNA and protein levels (***P {\textless} 0.00085),cleaved caspase (-3,-8,and -9) activity,and mitochondrial membrane potential reduction. Additionally,DAC-induced apoptosis was inhibited by Kp7-6,a FasL/Fas antagonist,indicating a crucial role of FasL/Fas,a cell death receptor,in mediating the apoptotic effect of DAC. DAC also induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in MSCs derived from MDSs patients (*P = 0.038). Furthermore,N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC),a widely accepted ROS scavenger,efficiently reversed DAC-induced apoptosis by inhibiting ROS generation (***P {\textless} 0.00051) in mitochondria and restoring mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore,ROS production was found to be a consequence of caspase activation via caspases inhibition. Our data imply that DAC triggers ROS production in human MSCs,which serves as a crucial factor for mitochondrial membrane potential reduction,and DAC induces cell death prior to FasL/Fas stimulation. View Publication

SCOPE Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating disease that is highly lethal in premature infants. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) efficiently reduce the incidence of NEC. However,the protective mechanism of HMO treatment is unknown. It is hypothesized that HMOs protect against NEC by inhibiting the damage to intestinal epithelial cells. METHODS AND RESULTS C57BL/6 pups are challenged with hypoxia and cold stress to induce NEC. All pups are sacrificed after 72 h. It is found that HMO administration reduces the concentrations of IL-8 in the serum and ileum of all NEC mice. Ileum toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) protein expression and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF$\kappa$B) pathway activation are inhibited. The proliferative ability of enterocytes in the ileum is restored as determined by labeling with proliferation markers (Ki67,SOX9). In a 3D culture intestinal crypt organoids study,HMO treatment improves the maturation of organoid cells and increases the ratio of proliferative cells under lipopolysaccharides (LPS) treatment. HMO treatment downregulates TLR4 expression in the organoid cells,thus reducing the effect of LPS. CONCLUSION HMOs protect intestinal epithelial cells from injury by accelerating the turnover of crypt cells by reducing the expression of TLR4 on intestinal epithelial cells. View Publication

Progressive resistance exercise training (PRT) is the most effective known intervention for combating aging skeletal muscle atrophy. However,the hypertrophic response to PRT is variable,and this may be due to muscle inflammation susceptibility. Metformin reduces inflammation,so we hypothesized that metformin would augment the muscle response to PRT in healthy women and men aged 65 and older. In a randomized,double-blind trial,participants received 1,700 mg/day metformin (N = 46) or placebo (N = 48) throughout the study,and all subjects performed 14 weeks of supervised PRT. Although responses to PRT varied,placebo gained more lean body mass (p = .003) and thigh muscle mass (p {\textless} .001) than metformin. CT scan showed that increases in thigh muscle area (p = .005) and density (p = .020) were greater in placebo versus metformin. There was a trend for blunted strength gains in metformin that did not reach statistical significance. Analyses of vastus lateralis muscle biopsies showed that metformin did not affect fiber hypertrophy,or increases in satellite cell or macrophage abundance with PRT. However,placebo had decreased type I fiber percentage while metformin did not (p = .007). Metformin led to an increase in AMPK signaling,and a trend for blunted increases in mTORC1 signaling in response to PRT. These results underscore the benefits of PRT in older adults,but metformin negatively impacts the hypertrophic response to resistance training in healthy older individuals. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02308228. View Publication

INTRODUCTION Complexins (CPLXs),initially identified in neuronal presynaptic terminals,are cytoplasmic proteins that interact with the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNARE) complex to regulate the fusion of vesicles to the plasma membrane. Although much is known about CPLX function in neuronal synaptic vesicle exocytosis,their distribution and role in immune cells are still unclear. In this study,we investigated CPLX2 knockout (KO) mice to reveal the role of CPLXs in exocytosis of lymphocytes. METHODS We examined the expression of CPLXs and SNAREs in lymphocytes. To study the effect of CPLXs on the immune system in vivo,we analyzed the immune phenotype of CPLX2 KO mice. Furthermore,antibodies secretion from the peritoneal cavity,spleen,and bone marrow cells of wild-type (WT) and CPLX2 KO mice were determined. RESULTS CPLX2 was detected in B cells but not in T cells,while other CPLXs and SNAREs were expressed at a similar level in both B and T cells. To clarify the function of CPLX2 in B lymphocytes,serum concentrations of immunoglobulin G (IgG),IgA,IgM,and IgE were measured in WT and CPLX2 KO mice using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The level of IgM,which mainly consists of natural antibodies,was higher in KO mice than that in WT mice,while the levels of other antibodies were similar in both types of mice. Additionally,we found that spontaneous secretion of IgM and IgG1 was enhanced from the splenic antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) of CPLX2 KO mice. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that CPLX2 inhibits spontaneous secretion of IgM and IgG1 from splenic ASCs. This study provides new insight into the mechanism of antibody secretion of ASCs. View Publication

The main limitations of hematopoietic cord blood (CB) transplantation,viz,low cell dosage and delayed reconstitution,can be overcome by ex vivo expansion. CB expansion under conventional culture causes rapid cell differentiation and depletion of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) responsible for engraftment. In this study,we use combinatorial cell culture technology (CombiCult{\textregistered}) to identify medium formulations that promote CD133+ CB HSPC proliferation while maintaining their phenotypic characteristics. We employed second-generation CombiCult screens that use electrospraying technology to encapsulate CB cells in alginate beads. Our results suggest that not only the combination but also the order of addition of individual components has a profound influence on expansion of specific HSPC populations. Top protocols identified by the CombiCult screen were used to culture human CD133+ CB HSPCs on nanofiber scaffolds and validate the expansion of the phenotypically defined CD34+CD38lo/-CD45RA-CD90+CD49f+ population of hematopoietic stem cells and their differentiation into defined progeny. View Publication

Decidua is a transient uterine tissue shared by mammals with hemochorial placenta and is essential for pregnancy. The decidua is infiltrated by many immune cells promoting pregnancy. Adult bone marrow (BM)-derived cells (BMDCs) differentiate into rare populations of nonhematopoietic endometrial cells in the uterus. However,whether adult BMDCs become nonhematopoietic decidual cells and contribute functionally to pregnancy is unknown. Here,we show that pregnancy mobilizes mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to the circulation and that pregnancy induces considerable adult BMDCs recruitment to decidua,where some differentiate into nonhematopoietic prolactin-expressing decidual cells. To explore the functional importance of nonhematopoietic BMDCs to pregnancy,we used Homeobox a11 (Hoxa11)-deficient mice,having endometrial stromal-specific defects precluding decidualization and successful pregnancy. Hoxa11 expression in BM is restricted to nonhematopoietic cells. BM transplant (BMT) from wild-type (WT) to Hoxa11-/- mice results in stromal expansion,gland formation,and marked decidualization otherwise absent in Hoxa11-/- mice. Moreover,in Hoxa11+/- mice,which have increased pregnancy losses,BMT from WT donors leads to normalized uterine expression of numerous decidualization-related genes and rescue of pregnancy loss. Collectively,these findings reveal that adult BMDCs have a previously unrecognized nonhematopoietic physiologic contribution to decidual stroma,thereby playing important roles in decidualization and pregnancy. View Publication

Molecular- and cellular-based therapies have the potential to reduce obesity-associated disease. In response to cold,beige adipocytes form in subcutaneous white adipose tissue and convert energy stored in metabolic substrates to heat,making them an attractive therapeutic target. We developed a robust method to generate a renewable source of human beige adipocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Developmentally,these cells are derived from FOXF1+ mesoderm and progress through an expandable mural-like mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) to form mature beige adipocytes that display a thermogenically active profile. This includes expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) concomitant with increased uncoupled respiration. With this method,dysfunctional adipogenic precursors can be reprogrammed and differentiated into beige adipocytes with increased thermogenic function and anti-diabetic secretion potential. This resource can be used to (1) elucidate mechanisms that underlie the control of beige adipogenesis and (2) generate material for cellular-based therapies that target metabolic syndrome in humans. View Publication

Immunosuppression increases the risk of cancers that are associated with viral infection1. In particular,the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin-which has been associated with beta human papillomavirus ($\beta$-HPV) infection-is increased by more than 100-fold in immunosuppressed patients2-4. Previous studies have not established a causative role for HPVs in driving the development of skin cancer. Here we show that T cell immunity against commensal papillomaviruses suppresses skin cancer in immunocompetent hosts,and the loss of this immunity-rather than the oncogenic effect of HPVs-causes the markedly increased risk of skin cancer in immunosuppressed patients. To investigate the effects of papillomavirus on carcinogen-driven skin cancer,we colonized several strains of immunocompetent mice with mouse papillomavirus type 1 (MmuPV1)5. Mice with natural immunity against MmuPV1 after colonization and acquired immunity through the transfer of T cells from immune mice or by MmuPV1 vaccination were protected against skin carcinogenesis induced by chemicals or by ultraviolet radiation in a manner dependent on CD8+ T cells. RNA and DNA in situ hybridization probes for 25 commensal $\beta$-HPVs revealed a significant reduction in viral activity and load in human skin cancer compared with the adjacent healthy skin,suggesting a strong immune selection against virus-positive malignant cells. Consistently,E7 peptides from $\beta$-HPVs activated CD8+ T cells from unaffected human skin. Our findings reveal a beneficial role for commensal viruses and establish a foundation for immune-based approaches that could block the development of skin cancer by boosting immunity against the commensal HPVs present in all of our skin. View Publication

Metabolic pathways dynamically regulate tissue development and maintenance. However,the mechanisms that govern the metabolic adaptation of stem or progenitor cells to their local niche are poorly understood. Here,we define the transcription factor PRDM16 as a region-specific regulator of intestinal metabolism and epithelial renewal. PRDM16 is selectively expressed in the upper intestine,with enrichment in crypt-resident progenitor cells. Acute Prdm16 deletion in mice triggered progenitor apoptosis,leading to diminished epithelial differentiation and severe intestinal atrophy. Genomic and metabolic analyses showed that PRDM16 transcriptionally controls fatty acid oxidation (FAO) in crypts. Expression of this PRDM16-driven FAO program was highest in the upper small intestine and declined distally. Accordingly,deletion of Prdm16 or inhibition of FAO selectively impaired the development and maintenance of upper intestinal enteroids,and these effects were rescued by acetate treatment. Collectively,these data reveal that regionally specified metabolic programs regulate intestinal maintenance. View Publication