技术资料

Stimulating erythropoiesis is essential in the treatment of various types of anemia. Sheng Xue Ning (SXN) is commonly used in China as an iron supplement to treat iron deficiency anemia,renal anemia,and anemia in pregnancy. This research reports a novel effect of SXN in enhancing the proliferation of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPC) to promote erythropoiesis in the bone marrow,which is distinct from conventional iron supplements that primarily aid in the maturation of red blood cells. Employing a model of hematopoietic dysfunction induced by X-ray exposure,we evaluated the efficacy of SXN in restoring hematopoietic function. SXN significantly promoted the recovery of peripheral erythroid cells and enhanced the proliferation and differentiation of Lin − /c-KIT + /Sca-1 + HSPC in mice exposed to X-ray irradiation. Our results showed that SXN elevated the expression of stem cell factor (SCF) and activated the SCF/c-KIT/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway,facilitating the proliferation and differentiation of HSPC. In vitro,SXN markedly enhanced the proliferation of bone marrow nucleated cell (BMNC) and the colony-forming capacity of BFU-E,CFU-E,and CFU-GM,while also elevating the expression of proteins involved in the SCF/c-KIT/PI3K/AKT pathway in BMNC. Additionally,SXN enhanced the proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) and increased SCF secretion. In conclusion,SXN demonstrates the capacity to enhance erythropoiesis by upregulating SCF expression,thereby promoting HSPC proliferation and differentiation via the SCF/c-KIT/PI3K/AKT pathway. SXN may offer a new strategy for improving the activity of HSPC and promoting erythropoiesis in the treatment of hematopoiesis disorders. View Publication

We describe a process for rapid antibody affinity optimization by repertoire mining to identify clones across B cell clonal lineages based on convergent immune responses where antigen-specific clones with the same heavy (V H ) and light chain germline segment pairs,or parallel lineages,bind a single epitope on the antigen. We use this convergence framework to mine unique and distinct V H lineages from rat anti-triggering receptor on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) antibody repertoire datasets with high diversity in the third complementarity-determining loop region (CDR H3) to further affinity-optimize a high-affinity agonistic anti-TREM2 antibody while retaining critical functional properties. Structural analyses confirm a nearly identical binding mode of anti-TREM2 variants with subtle but significant structural differences in the binding interface. Parallel lineage repertoire mining is uniquely tailored to rationally explore the large CDR H3 sequence space in antibody repertoires and can be easily and generally applied to antibodies discovered in vivo. Subject terms: Protein design,Protein design,VDJ recombination,Class switch recombination,Plasma cells View Publication

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT),cancer stem cells (CSCs),and colorectal cancer (CRC) therapy resistance are closely associated. Prior reports have demonstrated that sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) supports stem cells and maintains the CSC phenotype. We hypothesized that the EMT inducer SNAI1 drives S1P signaling to amplify CSC self-renewal capacity and chemoresistance. CRC cell lines with or without ectopic expression of SNAI1 were used to study the role of S1P signaling as mediators of cancer stemness and 5-fluorouracil (5FU) chemoresistance. The therapeutic ability of sphingosine kinase 2 (SPHK2) was assessed using siRNA and ABC294640,a SPHK2 inhibitor. CSCs were isolated from patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) and assessed for SPHK2 and SNAI1 expression. Ectopic SNAI1 expressing cell lines demonstrated elevated SPHK2 expression and increased SPHK2 promoter activity. SPHK2 inhibition with siRNA or ABC294640 ablated in vitro self-renewal and sensitized cells to 5FU. CSCs isolated from CRC PDXs express increased SPHK2 relative to the non-CSC population. Combination ABC294640/5FU therapy significantly inhibited tumor growth in mice and enhanced 5FU response in therapy-resistant CRC patient-derived tumor organoids (PDTOs). SNAI1/SPHK2 signaling mediates cancer stemness and 5FU resistance,implicating S1P as a therapeutic target for CRC. The S1P inhibitor ABC294640 holds potential as a therapeutic agent to target CSCs in therapy refractory CRC. View Publication

Down syndrome predisposes individuals to haematological abnormalities,such as increased number of erythrocytes and leukaemia in a process that is initiated before birth and is not entirely understood 1 – 3 . Here,to understand dysregulated haematopoiesis in Down syndrome,we integrated single-cell transcriptomics of over 1.1 million cells with chromatin accessibility and spatial transcriptomics datasets using human fetal liver and bone marrow samples from 3 fetuses with disomy and 15 fetuses with trisomy. We found that differences in gene expression in Down syndrome were dependent on both cell type and environment. Furthermore,we found multiple lines of evidence that haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in Down syndrome are ‘primed’ to differentiate. We subsequently established a Down syndrome-specific map linking non-coding elements to genes in disomic and trisomic HSCs using 10X multiome data. By integrating this map with genetic variants associated with blood cell counts,we discovered that trisomy restructured regulatory interactions to dysregulate enhancer activity and gene expression critical to erythroid lineage differentiation. Furthermore,as mutations in Down syndrome display a signature of oxidative stress 4,5,we validated both increased mitochondrial mass and oxidative stress in Down syndrome,and observed that these mutations preferentially fell into regulatory regions of expressed genes in HSCs. Together,our single-cell,multi-omic resource provides a high-resolution molecular map of fetal haematopoiesis in Down syndrome and indicates significant regulatory restructuring giving rise to co-occurring haematological conditions. Subject terms: Haematopoietic stem cells,Leukaemia,Haematopoiesis,Haematological diseases,Aneuploidy View Publication

KRAS is among the most commonly mutated oncogenes in human malignancies. Although the advent of sotorasib and adagrasib,has lifted the “undruggable” stigma of KRAS,the resistance to KRAS inhibitors quickly becomes a major issue. Here,we reported that aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A1 (ALDH1A1),an enzyme in retinoic acid biosynthesis and redox balance,increases in response to KRAS inhibitors and confers resistance in a range of cancer types. KRAS inhibitors' efficacy is significantly improved in sensitive or drug-resistant cells,patient-derived organoids (PDO),and xenograft models by ALDH1A1 knockout,loss of enzyme function,or inhibitor. Furthermore,we discovered that ALDH1A1 suppresses the efficacy of KRAS inhibitors by counteracting ferroptosis. ALDH1A1 detoxicates deleterious aldehydes,boosts the synthesis of NADH and retinoic acid (RA),and improves RARA function. ALDH1A1 also activates the CREB1/GPX4 pathway,stimulates the production of lipid droplets in a pH-dependent manner,and subsequently prevents ferroptosis induced by KRAS inhibitors. Meanwhile,we established that GTF2I is dephosphorylated at S784 via ERK by KRAS inhibitors,which hinders its nuclear translocation and mediates ALDH1A1's upregulation in response to KRAS inhibitors. In summary,the results offer valuable insights into targeting ALDH1A1 to enhance the effectiveness of KRAS-targeted therapy through ferroptosis in cancer treatment. View Publication

Autosomal recessive osteopetrosis (ARO) is a rare genetic disease,characterized by increased bone density due to defective osteoclast function. Most of the cases are due to TCIRG1 gene mutation,leading to severe bone phenotype and death in the first years of life. The standard therapy is the hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT),but its success is limited by several constraints. Conversely,gene therapy (GT) could minimize the immune-mediated complications of allogeneic HSCT and offer a prompt treatment to these patients. The Tcirg1 -defective oc/oc mouse model displays a short lifespan and high bone density,closely mirroring the human condition. In this work,we exploited the oc/oc neonate mice to optimize the critical steps for a successful therapy. First,we showed that lentiviral vector GT can revert the osteopetrotic bone phenotype,allowing long-term survival and reducing extramedullary haematopoiesis. Then,we demonstrated that plerixafor-induced mobilization can further increase the high number of HSPCs circulating in peripheral blood,facilitating the collection of adequate numbers of cells for therapeutic purposes. Finally,pre-transplant non-genotoxic conditioning allowed the stable engraftment of HSPCs,albeit at lower level than conventional total body irradiation,and led to long-term survival and correction of bone phenotype,in the absence of acute toxicity. These results will pave the way to the implementation of an effective GT protocol,reducing the transplant-related complication risks in the very young and severely affected ARO patients. View Publication

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by de novo mutations in the MECP2 gene. Although miRNAs in extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been suggested to play an essential role in several neurological conditions,no prior study has utilized brain organoids to profile EV-derived miRNAs during normal and RTT-affected neuronal development. Here we report the spatiotemporal expression pattern of EV-derived miRNAs in region-specific forebrain organoids generated from female hiPSCs with a MeCP2:R255X mutation and the corresponding isogenic control. EV miRNA and protein expression profiles were characterized at day 0,day 13,day 40,and day 75. Several members of the hsa-miR-302/367 cluster were identified as having a time-dependent expression profile with RTT-specific alterations at the latest developmental stage. Moreover,the miRNA species of the chromosome 14 miRNA cluster (C14MC) exhibited strong upregulation in RTT forebrain organoids irrespective of their spatiotemporal location. Together,our results suggest essential roles of the C14MC and hsa-miR-302/367 clusters in EVs during normal and RTT-associated neurodevelopment,displaying promising prospects as biomarkers for monitoring RTT progression. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00018-024-05409-7. View Publication

Automation and quality control (QC) are critical in manufacturing safe and effective cell and gene therapy products. However,current QC methods,reliant on molecular staining,pose difficulty in in-line testing and can increase manufacturing costs. Here we demonstrate the potential of using label-free ghost cytometry (LF-GC),a machine learning-driven,multidimensional,high-content,and high-throughput flow cytometry approach,in various stages of the cell therapy manufacturing processes. LF-GC accurately quantified cell count and viability of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and identified non-apoptotic live cells and early apoptotic/dead cells in PBMCs (ROC-AUC: area under receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.975),T cells and non-T cells in white blood cells (ROC-AUC = 0.969),activated T cells and quiescent T cells in PBMCs (ROC-AUC = 0.990),and particulate impurities in PBMCs (ROC-AUC ≧ 0.998). The results support that LF-GC is a non-destructive label-free cell analytical method that can be used to monitor cell numbers,assess viability,identify specific cell subsets or phenotypic states,and remove impurities during cell therapy manufacturing. Thus,LF-GC holds the potential to enable full automation in the manufacturing of cell therapy products with reduced cost and increased efficiency. Subject terms: Biotechnology,Cell biology,Immunology,Biomedical engineering View Publication

Paulownin,a natural compound derived from Paulownia tomentosa wood,exhibits various physiological functions,including anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effects. However,the impact of paulownin on natural killer (NK) cell immune activity remains largely unknown. In this study,we investigated the effect of paulownin on NK cell activity both in vitro and in vivo,and explored its potential mechanisms. NK-92 cells were used for in vitro experiments and a BALB/c mouse model with B16F10 cells injected subcutaneously were used for in vivo anti-tumor analysis. We found that paulownin enhanced the cytolytic activity of NK-92 cells against leukemia,human colon,and human lung cancer cell lines. Paulownin treatment increased the expression of the degranulation marker protein CD107a and cytolytic granules,including granzyme B and perforin in NK-92 cells. Moreover,these enhancements of cytotoxicity and the expression of cytolytic granules induced by paulownin were also observed in human primary NK cells. Signaling studies showed that paulownin promoted the phosphorylation of JNK. The increased perforin expression and elevated cytotoxic activity induced by paulownin were effectively inhibited by pre-treatment with a JNK inhibitor. In vivo studies demonstrated that the administration of paulownin suppressed the growth of B16F10 melanoma cells allografted into mice. Paulownin administration promoted the activation of NK cells in the spleen of mice,resulting in enhanced cytotoxicity against YAC-1 cells. Moreover,the anti-tumor effects of paulownin were reduced upon the depletion of NK cells. Therefore,these results suggest that paulownin enhances NK cell cytotoxicity by activating the JNK signaling pathway and provide significant implications for developing new strategies for cancer immunotherapy. View Publication

The molecular mechanisms regulating CD8 + cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are not fully understood. Here,we show that the peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor δ (PPARδ) suppresses CTL cytotoxicity by inhibiting RelA DNA binding. Treatment of Apc Min/+ mice with the PPARδ agonist GW501516 reduced the activation of normal and tumor-associated intestinal CD8 + T cells and increased intestinal adenoma burden. PPARδ knockout or knockdown in CTLs increased their cytotoxicity against colorectal cancer cells,whereas overexpression of PPARδ or agonist treatment decreased it. Correspondingly,perforin,granzyme B,and IFNγ protein and mRNA levels were higher in PPARδ knockout or knockdown CTLs and lower in PPARδ overexpressing or agonist-treated CTLs. Mechanistically,we found that PPARδ binds to RelA,interfering with RelA–p50 heterodimer formation in the nucleus,thereby inhibiting its DNA binding in CTLs. Thus,PPARδ is a critical regulator of CTL effector function. Significance: Here,we provide the first direct evidence that PPARδ plays a critical role in suppressing the immune response against tumors by downregulating RelA DNA-binding activity. This results in decreased expression of perforin,granzyme B,and IFNγ. Thus,PPARδ may serve as a valuable target for developing future cancer immunotherapies. View Publication

A hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) in C9ORF72 is the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Human brain imaging and experimental studies indicate early changes in brain structure and connectivity in C9-ALS/FTD,even before symptom onset. Because these early disease phenotypes remain incompletely understood,we generated iPSC-derived cerebral organoid models from C9-ALS/FTD patients,presymptomatic C9ORF72-HRE (C9-HRE) carriers,and controls. Our work revealed the presence of all three C9-HRE-related molecular pathologies and developmental stage-dependent size phenotypes in cerebral organoids from C9-ALS/FTD patients. In addition,single-cell RNA sequencing identified changes in cell type abundance and distribution in C9-ALS/FTD organoids,including a reduction in the number of deep layer cortical neurons and the distribution of neural progenitors. Further,molecular and cellular analyses and patch-clamp electrophysiology detected various changes in synapse structure and function. Intriguingly,organoids from all presymptomatic C9-HRE carriers displayed C9-HRE molecular pathology,whereas the extent to which more downstream cellular defects,as found in C9-ALS/FTD models,were detected varied for the different presymptomatic C9-HRE cases. Together,these results unveil early changes in 3D human brain tissue organization and synaptic connectivity in C9-ALS/FTD that likely constitute initial pathologies crucial for understanding disease onset and the design of therapeutic strategies. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40478-024-01857-1. View Publication

High-grade serous ovarian cancer remains a poorly understood disease with a high mortality rate. Although most patients respond to cytotoxic therapies,a majority will experience recurrence. This may be due to a minority of drug-resistant cancer stem-like cells (CSC) that survive chemotherapy and are capable of repopulating heterogeneous tumors. It remains unclear how CSCs are supported in the tumor microenvironment (TME) particularly during chemotherapy exposure. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) make up half of the immune population of the ovarian TME and are known to support CSCs and contribute to cancer progression. TAMs are plastic cells that alter their phenotype in response to environmental stimuli and thus may influence CSC maintenance during chemotherapy. Given the plasticity of TAMs,we studied the effects of carboplatin on macrophage phenotypes using both THP1- and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)–derived macrophages and whether this supports CSCs and ovarian cancer progression following treatment. We found that carboplatin exposure induces an M1-like proinflammatory phenotype that promotes SOX2 expression,spheroid formation,and CD117 + ovarian CSCs,and that macrophage-secreted CCL2/MCP-1 is at least partially responsible for this effect. Depletion of TAMs during carboplatin exposure results in fewer CSCs and prolonged survival in a xenograft model of ovarian cancer. This study supports a role for platinum-based chemotherapies in promoting a transient proinflammatory M1-like TAM that enriches for CSCs during treatment. Improving our understanding of TME responses to cytotoxic drugs and identifying novel mechanisms of CSC maintenance will enable the development of better therapeutic strategies for high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Significance: We show that chemotherapy enhances proinflammatory macrophage phenotypes that correlate with ovarian cancer progression. Given that macrophages are the most prominent immune cell within these tumors,this work provides the foundation for future translational studies targeting specific macrophage populations during chemotherapy,a promising approach to prevent relapse in ovarian cancer. View Publication