参考文献

Metastatic melanoma is an aggressive malignancy with limited long-term treatment success due to therapeutic resistance and immune evasion. The transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) ion channel is overexpressed in melanoma but its role as therapeutic target remains unexplored. We investigated the anti-tumor effects of novel TRPM8 modulators in metastatic melanoma cells using viability assays,apoptosis markers,mitochondrial function analyses,reactive oxygen species (ROS) measurements and gene silencing. Their functional impact was further assessed in 3D melanoma organoids,clonogenic survival assays,and natural killer (NK) cell co-culture systems. TRPM8 is significantly overexpressed in metastatic melanoma,as compared with the normal counterparts. Its pharmacological inhibition with novel modulators selectively induces calcium-independent mitochondrial apoptosis characterized by ROS accumulation,mitochondrial membrane depolarization,cytochrome c release,and caspase-3 activation. This process involves activation of the ATM/p53 pathway and upregulation of pro-apoptotic proteins. Additionally,TRPM8 modulators increase expression of the NK cell-activating ligand ULBP1,enhancing melanoma susceptibility to NK-mediated cytotoxicity. Our study identifies TRPM8 as a promising biomarker in melanoma. Its targeting triggers mitochondrial cell death and simultaneously boosts NK cell recognition via ULBP1/NKG2D engagement. TRPM8 targeting in combination with immunotherapy might be,hence,further explored in clinical setting of advanced melanoma. View Publication

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy targeting antigens shared with normal T cells requires genetic modifications to prevent fratricide. This phase 1 trial evaluates autologous CD5-targeting CAR-T cells with CD5 gene deletion (CT125A) in seven patients with relapsed/refractory CD5+ hematologic malignancies. The overall response rate is 85.7%,including four complete responses. All patients experience cytokine release syndrome (six grade 1–2,one grade 3),and two patients develop immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome. The most common grade ≥3 adverse events are cytopenia and infection,with unique observations of rash and autoimmune-related events. Post-infusion immunophenotyping shows persistent depletion of CD5+ T cells and CD19+ B cells,with reduced CD4/CD8 ratios. The human CD5 knockin murine model reveals skin lesions without significant vital organ involvement. These findings demonstrate CT125A’s therapeutic potential in CD5+ malignancies while highlighting the need for safety optimization. The trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04767308). Graphical abstract Highlights•CT125A achieves 85.7% response rate in relapsed/refractory CD5+ malignancies•CD5 gene deletion prevents fratricide and enhances CAR-T cell persistence•Prolonged CD5+ T cell aplasia associates with infections and autoimmune events•Mouse model reveals on-target,off-tumor effects primarily affecting skin tissue Cheng et al. report a phase 1 trial of autologous CD5-targeting CAR-T cells with CD5 gene deletion (CT125A) in seven patients with relapsed/refractory CD5+ malignancies. CT125A achieves an 85.7% response rate but causes prolonged immunosuppression,infections,and autoimmune events,highlighting the need for safety optimization strategies. View Publication

Directed differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into anterior foregut endoderm (AFE) and lung progenitors (LPs) has wide-ranging implications for lung developmental biology,disease modeling,and regenerative medicine. We expand on a previously developed mathematical modeling framework and apply it to the directed differentiation of AFE into LPs. A model-based approach guides experimental design,followed by a multistage model inference process: maximum likelihood estimation based on in vitro data and identifiability analyses to eliminate unidentifiable candidates,thereby guiding model selection. To the authors’ knowledge,this is the first mathematical model of the population dynamics of directed differentiation of AFE into LPs. The model suggests that the overall dynamics are primarily driven by AFE proliferation and differentiation into LPs. In silico experiments predict that daily media change nearly doubles LP yields compared to cultures without media replenishment. Moreover,the model suggests that higher split ratios on day 10 enhance yield per input cell,a measure of differentiation efficiency,by 26%. This work provides a blueprint for refining iPSC-based lung lineage differentiation protocols by combining empirical data and mathematical modeling. View Publication

Cell surface proteins offer significant cancer therapeutic potential attributable to their accessible membrane localization and central roles in cellular signaling,yet their promise remains largely untapped due to technical challenges inherent to profiling them. Here,we employ N-glycoproteomics to analyze 85 patient-derived xenografts (PDXs),constructing Glyco PDXplorer—an in vivo pan-cancer atlas of cancer-derived surface proteins. We develop a target discovery pipeline to prioritize proteins with favorable expression profiles for immunotherapeutic targeting and validate FAT2 as a squamous-cancer-enriched surface protein minimally detected in normal tissue. Functional studies reveal that FAT2 is essential for head and neck squamous cancer (HNSC) cell growth and adhesion through regulation of surface architecture and integrin-PI3K signaling. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells targeting FAT2 demonstrate anti-tumor activity. This work lays the foundation for developing FAT2-targeted therapies and represents a pivotal platform to inform therapeutic target discovery across cancers. Graphical abstract Highlights•Pan-cancer landscape of cancer-derived cell surface proteins detected in vivo•Discovery pipeline to prioritize proteins as immunotherapy target candidates•Validation of FAT2 as an SCC surface protein with minimal normal tissue expression•FAT2 CAR-T cells demonstrate anti-tumor activity in pre-clinical models Govindarajan et al. leverage N-glycoproteomics and PDX models to decode the in vivo cancer cell surfaceome and establish Glyco PDXplorer—a target discovery platform. The identification and validation of FAT2 as a previously undescribed,actionable antigen demonstrates the utility of Glyco PDXplorer for uncovering therapeutic vulnerabilities. View Publication

Ferroptosis,an iron-dependent,lipid peroxidation-driven programmed cell death,holds substantial promise for cancer therapy,yet its translational potential is hindered by widespread intrinsic resistance. While glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is a well-established ferroptosis suppressor,the epigenetic circuitry coordinating GPX4-related mechanisms remains elusive. Here,via genome-wide screening,we identify ten-eleven translocation 1 (TET1)—a key mediator of DNA 5-hydroxymethylation—as a master controller of cancer cell ferroptosis susceptibility. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML),TET1 enhances 5hmC deposition at the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) promoter to activate glutathione/γ-glutamyl-peptide metabolism,fortifying GPX4-dependent defense. Concurrently,TET1 activates NFκB signaling to upregulate GTP cyclohydrolase-1 (GCH1),conferring GPX4-independent ferroptosis resistance. Critically,co-targeting TET1/GCLC/GCH1 with low-dose ferroptosis inducers exhibits potent therapeutic effects against both ferroptosis-sensitive and -resistant AML. Our work positions TET1 as a pivotal epigenetic hub governing ferroptosis surveillance,and provides a translatable strategy to overcome ferroptosis resistance in cancer,with AML as a paradigm. DNA demethylation enzyme TET1 is a known oncogene in leukemia. Here,the authors discover that TET1 is involved in GPX4-dependent and -independent ferroptosis in acute myeloid leukemia via the regulation of GSH synthesis enzyme GCLC and BH4 synthesis enzyme GCH1. View Publication

Baculovirus,an insect virus commonly used for recombinant protein expression in insect cells and gene delivery in mammalian systems,is often generated through bacmid-based engineering. To enable flexible and programmable bacmid engineering,we developed SHOT 2.0,an optimized CRISPR-associated transposon platform that mediates RNA-guided and customized bacmid editing in Escherichia coli. The edited bacmid can be transfected into insect cells to produce recombinant baculoviruses. SHOT 2.0 supported site-specific integration of large DNA cargos (at least 14 kb) into defined loci such as v-cath and ODVe56,with integration at ODVe56 markedly improving transgene stability during serial virus passaging. The system is fully compatible with the Bac-to-Bac® workflow,enabling dual-gene insertion into the bacmid and derived baculovirus. Leveraging this platform,we constructed an all-in-one baculovirus encoding the PE5max prime editor. This vector-mediated prime editing achieves efficiencies up to 85.6% in HEK293T cells and achieves robust prime editing in hard-to-transfect cell types,including iPSCs and liver cancer cells,with efficiencies up to 37.1%. These results demonstrate that SHOT 2.0 substantially expands the baculovirus engineering toolbox,providing a flexible platform for genome editing and future gene delivery. View Publication

Expansion microscopy (ExM) has enabled nanoscale imaging of tissues by physically enlarging biological samples in a swellable hydrogel. However,the increased sample size and water-based environment pose challenges for deep imaging using conventional inverted confocal microscopes,particularly due to the limited working distance of high-numerical-aperture (NA) water immersion objectives. Here,we introduce a practical imaging alternative that utilizes an inverted water-dipping objective and a refractive-index-matched optical path using fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) film. Through point spread function (PSF) measurements and simulations,we show that the FEP film introduces predominantly defocus-like wavefront profiles characteristic of high NA systems,which result in an easily correctable axial shift of the focal plane. To ensure stable immersion and refractive index continuity,we use an arrangement relying on an FEP film,Immersol W,water and a FEP-based imaging dish. This configuration achieves sub-micron lateral and axial resolution,supports large tile-scan acquisitions,and maintains image quality across depths exceeding 800 µm. We validate the system by imaging 4×-expanded U2OS cells and human cerebral organoids. Our approach provides a low-cost,plug-and-play solution for high-resolution volumetric imaging of expanded samples using standard inverted microscopes. View Publication

Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) are noncoding DNA regions regulating cell-type-specific gene expression programs by interacting with distal gene promoters. Here,we aim to decode the function and spatial organization of CRE-promoter interactions in human cardiomyocytes. We analyzed the epigenome and chromatin interactions of human male atrial,ventricular,and failing cardiomyocytes. Atrial and ventricular cardiomyocytes harbored chamber-specific CRE-promoter interactions modulating gene expression as confirmed by functional epigenetic silencing. These CRE-promoter interactions explain the distinct contribution of non-coding genetic variants to atrial and ventricular diseases,such as dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias. We dissected the prototypic KCNJ2 locus,encoding a potassium channel associated with ventricular arrhythmia susceptibility. Functional epigenetic silencing confirmed that CREs,harboring QT-duration-associated genetic risk factors,modulate KCNJ2 gene expression levels,alter KCNJ2-dependent channel currents,and affect cardiomyocyte repolarization. The presented human CM-specific chromatin interaction analysis provides key insights into regulatory mechanisms and aids in interpreting genetic risk factors. Here the authors functionally test and resolve the spatial genome organization of cis-regulatory elements and genetic variants in atrial,ventricular,and failing human cardiomyocytes and linked them to heart disease traits,including QT syndrome. View Publication

Chronic neuroinflammation plays a key role in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD),and the cytosolic calcium-dependent phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) enzyme is a critical mediator of inflammatory lipid signaling pathways. Here we investigate the therapeutic potential of novel cPLA2 inhibitors in modulating neuroinflammation in AD. By leveraging the giga-scale V-SYNTHES2 virtual screening in on-demand chemical space and conducting two rounds of optimization for potency and selectivity,we have identified BRI-50460,achieving an IC50 of 0.88 nM in cellular assays that measure cPLA2-mediated arachidonic acid release. In vivo studies revealed favorable brain-to-plasma ratios,highlighting the ability of BRI-50460 to penetrate the central nervous system,modulating neuroinflammatory pathways,and restoring lipid homeostasis. In astrocytes and neurons derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells,BRI-50460 mitigates the effects of amyloid beta 42 oligomers on cPLA2 activation,tau hyperphosphorylation,and synaptic loss. Our results support that small molecule inhibitors of cPLA2 can modulate the downstream inflammatory signaling,offering a promising therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases. View Publication

Interleukin-17 (IL-17) plays a central role in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases. Soluble CD14 (sCD14),a marker of innate immune activation,is elevated in several inflammatory conditions. However,its influence on IL-17 production and the differentiation of Th17 cells remains poorly understood. We found that sCD14 enhances Th17-associated cytokine production and up-regulates critical transcription factors such as STAT3 and RORC. Notably,sCD14's effect on Th17 polarization was mediated indirectly through autologous sCD14-treated peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) supernatant (sCD14-PBMC-Sup). Additionally,we identified a distinct cytokine profile enriched for pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in sCD14-treated T cells,further reinforcing the Th17-promoting role of sCD14. Interestingly,gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA),a metabolite elevated in sCD14-treated monocytes,was identified as a potential contributor to Th17 polarization. GABA supplementation in T-cell cultures enhanced IL-17A secretion,indicating its role as a signaling molecule in T-cell differentiation. Our findings also revealed the expansion of innate lymphoid cell (ILC)2/3-like cells in T-cell cultures exposed to sCD14-PBMC-Sup and GABA,highlighting the potential role of monocytes in Th17-mediated immunity. Furthermore,while sCD14 promoted Th17 polarization,it simultaneously impaired T-cell activation and proliferation,suggesting an immunosuppressive effect mediated by soluble factors released from monocytes. These results underscore the dual role of sCD14 in modulating T-cell responses,promoting Th17 differentiation while suppressing T-cell effector functions. This study identifies a previously unrecognized role for sCD14 in promoting Th17 induction,highlighting its contribution to immune regulation and its potential as a therapeutic target in Th17-driven autoimmune conditions. View Publication