技术资料

Cancer research has long focused on mutations in normal body cells,but this approach has not produced major breakthroughs for most cancers. Our study explores a different concept that some aggressive cancers may actually arise from early reproductive cells called primordial germ cells,which normally develop into eggs and sperm. We created a new experimental model showing how a virus can transform human primordial germ cell-like cells into virus-positive Merkel cell carcinoma,a rare but deadly skin cancer. This model shows that cancers can emerge through changes in developmental states rather than relying solely on genetic mutations. By linking cancer development to early germ cells,our findings suggest a unifying explanation for both germ cell cancers and body cancers. This new perspective may guide more effective approaches to study,diagnose,and treat cancer by focusing on early human development rather than only DNA mutations and later developmental stages. View Publication

With the approval of the antibody-drug conjugate enfortumab vedotin (EV),NECTIN4 has emerged as a bona fide therapeutic target in urothelial carcinoma (UC). Here,we report the development of a NECTIN4-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell,which exhibits reactivity across cells expressing a range of endogenous NECTIN4,with enhanced activity in high expressors. We demonstrate that the PPARγ pathway,critical for luminal differentiation,transcriptionally controls NECTIN4,and that the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone primes and augments NECTIN4 expression,thereby increasing sensitivity to NECTIN4-CAR T cell-mediated killing. NECTIN4-CAR T cells have potent anti-tumor activity even against EV resistant cells,which largely retain NECTIN4 expression,including in a post-EV biopsy cohort. Our results elucidate a therapeutically actionable mechanism that UC cells use to control NECTIN4 expression and suggest therapeutic approaches that leverage PPARγ agonists for rational combinations with NECTIN4-targeting agents in UC,as well as future potential treatment options for EV-refractory patients. Subject terms: Bladder cancer,Cancer immunotherapy,Cancer therapeutic resistance,Oncology,Bladder cancer View Publication

In bone marrow,cell numbers are balanced between production and loss. After chemotherapy,blood cell counts decrease initially but later recover as hematopoietic progenitor cells expand,although the mechanisms underlying this recovery are still unclear. We investigated the influence of red blood cells (RBCs) on hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function during bone marrow recovery. Following chemotherapy,RBC concentrations in bone marrow peaked on day 5 posttreatment,coinciding with the recovery of hematopoiesis. Coculture of HSCs with RBCs resulted in a significant increase in hematopoiesis. Direct contact between RBCs and HSCs was essential for enhancement of hematopoiesis,and HSCs precultured with RBCs resulted in greater numbers of donor‐derived mature hematopoietic cells after transplantation. RNA‐sequencing analysis showed that Hes1 was the most significantly upregulated transcription factor in RBC coculture,and the response to RBC‐induced hematopoiesis of Hes1‐deficient HSCs was reduced. These findings imply a role of RBCs and Hes1 in the enhancement of hematopoietic recovery following bone marrow stress. View Publication

If iPS cells can be established easily and efficiently using freshly collected blood cells,it will enhance regenerative and personalized medicine. While reports of iPS derivation from blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells using RNA have been documented,none have been reported from peripheral blood-derived mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In this study,we established a method to generate iPS cells from PBMCs using synthetic RNAs and found that MDM4,which suppresses p53,improved reprogramming efficiency. Subject terms: Reprogramming,Induced pluripotent stem cells View Publication

Despite the success of antiretroviral therapy in suppressing plasma viremia in people living with human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1),persistent viral RNA expression in tissue reservoirs is observed and can contribute to HIV-1-induced immunopathology and comorbidities. Infection of long-lived innate immune cells,such as tissue-resident macrophages and microglia may contribute to persistent viral RNA production and chronic inflammation. We recently reported that de novo cytoplasmic expression of HIV-1 intron-containing RNA (icRNA) in macrophages and microglia leads to MDA5 and MAVS-dependent innate immune sensing and induction of type I IFN responses,demonstrating that HIV icRNA is a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP). In this report,we show that cytoplasmic expression of HIV-1 icRNA also induces NLRP1 inflammasome activation and IL-1β secretion in macrophages and microglia in an RLR- and endosomal TLR-independent manner. Infection of both macrophages and microglia with either replication-competent or single-cycle HIV-1 induced IL-1β secretion,which was attenuated when cytoplasmic expression of viral icRNA was prevented. While IL-1β secretion was blocked by treatment with caspase-1 inhibitors or knockdown of NLRP1 or caspase-1 expression in HIV-infected macrophages,overexpression of NLRP1 significantly enhanced IL-1β secretion in an HIV-icRNA-dependent manner. Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed interaction of HIV-1 icRNA,but not multiply-spliced HIV-1 RNA,with NLRP1,suggesting that HIV-1 icRNA sensing by NLRP1 is sufficient to trigger inflammasome activation. Together,these findings reveal a pathway of NLRP1 inflammasome activation induced by de novo expressed HIV icRNA in HIV-infected myeloid cells. View Publication

Particulate matters such as diesel exhaust particles induce oxidative stress in cells and thereby have a negative impact on health. The aim of this study was to test whether the membrane-permeable,anti-inflammatory metabolite 4-Octyl Itaconate can counteract the oxidative stress induced by diesel exhaust particles and to analyze the downstream-regulated pathways both in human nasal epithelial cells and PBMCs. Human nasal epithelial cells were cultured from nasal swabs,and the response of the cells to diesel exhaust particles either alone or in combination with 4-Octyl Itaconatee was investigated using RNA sequencing,qPCR,and cytokine measurement. The presence of reactive oxygen species in the cells was analyzed using CellROX staining and flow cytometric DCFDA assay. Diesel exhaust particles caused an upregulation of CYP1A1 in nasal epithelial cells. The administration of 4-Octyl Itaconate reduced the reactive oxygen species and increased the expression of antioxidant genes regulated by the transcription factor NRF2,which was also confirmed in PBMCs. IL-6 secretion from NEC was elevated by diesel exhaust particles and reduced when 4-Octyl Itaconate was administered. 4-Octyl Itaconate can reduce the diesel-exhaust-particle-induced oxidative damage by the activation of NRF2-regulated antioxidative pathways. View Publication

Advancing research in oncology highlights the inverse correlation between antibiotic treatment and the positive outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) administration,confirming once more the importance of microbiota and microbiota-derived compounds as complementary tools for treating cancer. Among the immune checkpoints,the CD200 cell surface glycoprotein has gained attention for its role in promoting self-tolerance and potentially facilitating tumor growth through interaction with the CD200R1 receptor. We developed a robust AlphaLISA-based screening to identify human gut microbiota-derived proteins that may interact with CD200R1 and screened a library of 10,966 gut bacterial proteins. The antitumor activity of BOC1 was investigated in vitro by cytokine analysis,mixed lymphocyte reactions,and myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC)–T-cell suppression assay. AlphaFold modeling was used to predict potential interaction points between BOC1 and CD200R1. We successfully identified BOC1,a protein from the Bacteroides genus,showing better affinity than the natural ligand,CD200,toward the CD200R1 receptor. BOC1 induces cytokine secretion by monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MoDCs) and enhances CD8 + /CD4 + T-cell populations and IFNγ production,highlighting its potent immunostimulatory properties. BOC1 also negatively impacts the differentiation of MDSCs,maintaining an immature monocytic profile (high CD14 and HLA-DR expression) and restoring T-cell proliferation even at low (10 nM) concentration. Mutation of amino acids within the N-terminal region of BOC1 reduces binding to CD200R1,supporting the importance of this region for a possible interaction with CD200R1. The immunostimulatory properties of BOC1 observed in vitro are compatible with an ICI-like behavior of this bacterial protein. Given that neither the CD200 protein nor the anti-CD200 antibody is able to compete with BOC1 for binding to CD200R1,and as supported by AlphaFold modeling predictions,CD200 and BOC1 might target different regions of CD200R1. View Publication

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal malignancy propelled by the BCR::ABL1 fusion gene originating from the Philadelphia chromosome. This gene activates ABL tyrosine kinase,which enhances the survival of leukemic cells. Although tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have significantly advanced the treatment of CML,resistance to these inhibitors presents a substantial hurdle. Consequently,novel therapeutic strategies targeting resistance mechanisms independent of BCR::ABL1 are urgently needed. This study investigated the potential impact of combining WEE1 inhibitors,particularly MK‐1775,with vitamin K2 (VK2) in treating CML. To analyze differentially expressed and spliced transcripts in CML,we examined mRNA profiles from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of five patients with CML (during chronic and blast phases) and five healthy controls. The samples were analyzed using deep sequencing. Differential expression analyses were performed using RaNA‐Seq and Heatmapper,the latter of which was designed for complex data set visualizations. WEE1 controls the G2/M checkpoint to prevent early mitosis,and blocking it increases the cytotoxicity of agents that damage deoxyribonucleic acid,especially in cancers lacking p53. VK2,a micronutrient,exerts anticancer effects against various malignancies. Gene expression studies have indicated that PKMYT1 expression is elevated in CML but not WEE1 cells. MK‐1775 successfully halted the growth of both standard and TKI‐resistant CML cell lines by triggering apoptosis via caspase 3/7 activation. VK2 reduced the viability of CML cells and increased cytotoxicity. A combined regimen of MK‐1775 and VK2 markedly decreased colony growth,disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential,and increased death in CML cells,including those resistant to TKIs. The results suggest that a combination of MK‐1775 and VK2 represents a potentially effective treatment strategy for CML,especially in drug‐resistant cases. View Publication

Metformin rejuvenates adult rat oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) allowing more efficient differentiation into oligodendrocytes and improved remyelination,and therefore is of interest as a therapeutic in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Here,we test whether metformin has a similar effect in human stem cell derived-OPCs. We assess how well human monoculture,organoid and chimera model culture systems simulate in vivo adult human oligodendrocytes,finding most close resemblance in the chimera model. Metformin increases myelin proteins and/or sheaths in all models even when human cells remain fetal-like. In the chimera model,metformin leads to increased mitochondrial area both in the human transplanted cells and in the mouse axons with associated increase of mitochondrial function/metabolism transcripts. Human oligodendrocytes from MS brain donors treated pre-mortem with metformin also express similar transcripts. Metformin’s brain effect is thus not cell-specific,alters metabolism in part through mitochondrial changes and leads to more myelin production. This bodes well for clinical trials testing metformin for neuroprotection. Subject terms: Oligodendrocyte,Multiple sclerosis,Multiple sclerosis,Regeneration and repair in the nervous system View Publication

Renal failure due to drug nephrotoxicity or disease is frequently observed in patients. The development of in vitro models able to recapitulate kidney biology offers new possibilities to study drug toxicity or model diseases. Induced pluripotent stem cell–derived kidney organoids already show promise,but several drawbacks must be overcome to maintain them in culture,among which is the presence of non-renal cell populations such as cartilage. We modified the culture protocol and maintained kidney organoids in medium containing FGF9 for 1 additional week compared to the control protocol (Takasato). In comparison to the control,the FGF9-treated kidney organoids had reduced cartilage at day 7 + 25 and diminished chondrocyte marker expression. Importantly,the renal structures assessed by immunofluorescence were unaffected by the FGF9 treatment. This reduction of cartilage produces a higher quality kidney organoid that can be maintained longer in culture to improve their maturation for further in vivo work. Subject terms: Pluripotent stem cells,Stem-cell differentiation,Kidney View Publication

Epigenetic modulators of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) family control key biological processes and are frequently dysregulated in cancer. There is superior activity of HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) that carry the Janus kinase-2 point mutant JAK2 V617F . This constitutively active tyrosine kinase activates signal-transducer-and-activator-of-transcription (STAT) transcription factors to promote cell proliferation and inflammatory processes. We reveal that the inhibition of HDAC1/HDAC2 with the clinically advanced HDACi romidepsin,the experimental HDACi entinostat and MERCK60,and genetic depletion of HDAC1/HDAC2 induce apoptosis and long-term growth arrest of primary and permanent MPN cells in vitro and in vivo. This treatment spares normal hematopoietic stem cells and does not compromise blood cell differentiation. At the molecular level,HDAC1 and HDAC2 control the protein stability of SIAH2 through acetylation. Genetic knockout experiments show that SIAH2 accelerates the proteasomal degradation of JAK2 V617F in conjunction with the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBCH8. SIAH2 binds to the surface-exposed SIAH degron motif VLP1002 in the catalytic domain of JAK2 V617F . At the functional level,SIAH2 knockout MPN cells are significantly less sensitive to HDACi. Global RNA sequencing verifies that JAK-STAT signaling is a prime target of SIAH2. Moreover,HDAC1 is an adverse prognostic factor in patients with acute myeloid leukemia ( n = 150,p = 0.02),being a possible complication of MPNs. These insights reveal a previously unappreciated link between HDAC1/HDAC2 as key molecular targets,the still undefined regulation of cytoplasmic-to-nuclear signaling by HDACs,and how HDACi kill JAK2 V617F -positive cells from MPN patients and mice with JAK2 V617F in vitro and in vivo. Subject terms: Haematological cancer,Oncogenes,Target identification,Haematopoietic stem cells View Publication

Prime editing is a promising approach for correcting pathogenic variants,but its efficiency remains variable across genomic contexts. Here,we systematically evaluated 12 modifications of the PEmax system for correcting the CFTR F508del pathogenic variant that caused cystic fibrosis in patient-derived airway basal cells. We chose EXO1 and FEN1 nucleases to improve the original system. While all tested variants showed comparatively low efficiency in this AT-rich genomic region,4-FEN modification demonstrated significantly improved editing rates (up to 2.13 fold) compared to standard PEmax. Our results highlight two key findings: first,the persistent challenge of AT-rich target sequence correction even with optimized editors,and second,the performance of 4-FEN suggests its potential value for other genomic targets. View Publication