Expression Of Proliferation Markers Research Articles

Eye flukes (Diplostomum spp) damage retinal tissue and may cause a regenerative response in wild threespine stickleback fish.

Fish rely upon vision as a dominant sensory system for foraging, predator avoidance, and mate selection. Damage to the visual system, in particular to the neural retina of the eye, has been demonstrated to result in a regenerative response in captive fish that serve as model organisms (e.g. zebrafish), and this response restores some visual function. The purpose of the present study is to determine whether damage to the visual system that occurs in wild populations of fish also results in a regenerative response, offering a potentially ecologically relevant model of retinal regeneration. Adult threespine stickleback were collected from several water bodies of Iceland, and cryosectioned eye tissues were processed for hematoxylin and eosin staining or for indirect immunofluorescence using cell-specific markers. In many of the samples, eye flukes (metacercariae of Diplostomum spp) were present, frequently between the neural retina and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE). Damage to the retina and to the RPE was evident in eyes containing flukes, and RPE fragments were observed within fluke bodies, suggesting they had consumed this eye tissue. Expression of a cell proliferation marker was also observed in both retina and RPE, consistent with a proliferative response to the damage. Interestingly, some regions of infected retina displayed "laminar fusions," in which neuronal cell bodies were misplaced within the major synaptic layer of the retina. These laminar fusions are also frequently found in regenerated zebrafish retina following non-parasitic (experimental) forms of retinal damage. The stickleback retina may therefore respond to fluke-mediated damage by engaging in retinal regeneration.

ANALYSIS OF UTERINE MORPHOLOGY IN OVARIECTOMIZED RATS TREATED WITH ALENDRONATE AND HOP EXTRACT USING OPEN-SORUCE SOFTWARE

Free and open-source software for image analysis and morphological measurements in scientific research is rising in popularity and capabilities as new methods, plugins and macros are being actively developed. A semi-automated method for measuring rat uterus morphology using free and open-source software (Gimp and FIJI) is demonstrated in this paper. Research was performed on ovariectomized rats as a model of osteoporosis (with sham-operated control group). The animals were treated with alendronate, hop extract or the combination of the two. Whole histological slides were photographed and images were manually pre-processed in Gimp. Color masks from Gimp were loaded in FIJI and polar transformation and measurements were made using a custom macro. This analysis was supplemented by manual assessment of Ki67 proliferation marker expression by a pathologist. Our results suggest that monotherapy or combination therapy with alendronate and hop extract does not cause proliferation of the endometrium in ovariectomized rats and would be safe for use in osteoporosis treatment in this regard. The semi-automated method used in this research is more precise and unbiased than older manual methods. Furthermore, it can be easily adapted for analysis of whole-slide images of almost any round or oval organ.

MYC and MET cooperatively drive hepatocellular carcinoma with distinct molecular traits and vulnerabilities

Enhanced activation of the transcription factor MYC and of the receptor tyrosine kinase MET are among the events frequently occurring in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Both genes individually act as drivers of liver cancer initiation and progression. However, their concomitant alteration in HCC has not been explored, nor functionally documented. Here, we analysed databases of five independent human HCC cohorts and found a subset of patients with high levels of MYC and MET (MYChigh/METhigh) characterised by poor prognosis. This clinical observation drove us to explore the functionality of MYC and MET co-occurrence in vivo, combining hydrodynamic tail vein injection for MYC expression in the R26stopMet genetic setting, in which wild-type MET levels are enhanced following the genetic deletion of a stop cassette. Results showed that increased MYC and MET expression in hepatocytes is sufficient to induce liver tumorigenesis even in the absence of pre-existing injuries associated with a chronic disease state. Intriguingly, ectopic MYC in MET tumours increases expression of the Mki67 proliferation marker, and switches them into loss of Afp, Spp1, Gpc3, Epcam accompanied by an increase in Hgma1, Vim, and Hep-Par1 levels. We additionally found a switch in the expression of specific immune checkpoints, with an increase in the Ctla-4 and Lag3 lymphocyte co-inhibitory responses, and in the Icosl co-stimulatory responses of tumour cells. We provide in vitro evidence on the vulnerability of some human HCC cell lines to combined MYC and MET targeting, which are otherwise resistant to single inhibition. Mechanistically, combined blockage of MYC and MET converts a partial cytostatic effect, triggered by individual blockage of MYC or MET, into a cytotoxic effect. Together, these findings highlight a subgroup of HCC characterised by MYChigh/METhigh, and document functional cooperativity between MYC and MET in liver tumorigenesis. Thus, the MYC-R26Met model is a relevant setting for HCC biology, patient classification and treatment.

Benzo[b]fluoranthene (B[b]F) affects apoptosis, oxidative stress, mitochondrial membrane potential and expressions of blood-brain barrier markers in microvascular endothelial cells

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contributes to the damage of blood-brain barrier. While a number of studies were focused on benzo[a]pyrene, direct effects and mechanisms of benzo[b]fluoranthene (B[b]F), another main component of PAHs, on blood-brain barrier (BBB) are not documented. Here, we investigated if B[b]F at concentrations of environmental relevance could affect apoptosis, oxidative stress, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and BBB marker expression in mouse brain microvascular endothelial (bEnd.3) cells, an in vitro model typically used to study BBB toxicology. Cells were treated with varying concentrations of B[b]F (0, 10, 20 and 40 μM) for 48 h. Cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, oxidative stress, MMP and BBB marker expressions were evaluated by label-free real-time cell analysis, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence and Western-blot. The proliferation of bEnd.3 cells was inhibited by B[b]F in a concentration dependent manner. B[b]F treatment significantly affected cell cycle, induced apoptosis, increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and disputed MMP. Expressions of BBB marker Occludin and Claudin-5 were decreased in the presence of 40 μM B[b]F. In conclusion, B[b]F might damage BBB by affecting proliferation, apoptosis, ROS level and Occludin and Claudin-5 expressions in microvascular endothelial cells.

Construction of Dual- and Enhanced Dual-Antibodies Targeting CD19 in the Treatment of B-ALL and Investigation of the Relevant Mechanisms

Objective: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a hematological malignancy characterized by the development of immature lymphocytes. Although many patients can achieve complete remission (CR) after chemotherapy, only minority can sustain long term remission without relapse. In the past decade, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have achieved unprecedented clinical responses for B cells malignancies, however, it still encounters with substantial challenges, such as expensive cost and treatment failure. T cell-redirecting bispecific antibodies is able to build the connection between endogenous T cells and tumor cells in order to activate T cells function to eliminate cancer cells without the need for ex vivo genetic alteration or manipulation of the T cells. It can provide an off-the-shelf immune-oncology therapy, unlike the long-term preparation before CAR-T infusion. Here, we developed the novel dual-specific antibody (DuAb) and enhanced DuAb (EDuAb) with different stimulation signals to activate T cells and explored their impact on the treatment of hematologic tumors by altering the function of T cells. Methods: The expression plasmids of dual-specific antibody targeting CD19 and CD3 (DuAb) and the enhanced DuAb (EDuAb) containing CD80 molecule were constructed by cloning heavy chain and light chain variable fragments from previously established anti-human CD19 (HI19a) and CD3 (HIT3a) monoclonal antibodies, respectively. Both DuAb and EDuAb were produced through a eukaryotic expression system. The activation of human primary T cells was evaluated after stimulated by DuAb and EDuAb in vitro, by detecting T cells proliferation, cytokine secretion, apoptosis and inhibitor marker expression. The antitumor efficacy of human primary T cells mediated by DuAb and EDuAb was evaluated through co-culture killing assay. B-ALL xenograft NSG mouse model was established to investigate the in vivo therapeutic effect. Results: EDuAb promoted the optimal expansion of primary human T cells with low expression of inhibitor marker in vitro than DuAb did (fold change of proliferation on day 9: 61.39 vs 19.23, p<0.0001; proportion of annexin V+: 11.83% vs 45.13%, p<0.0001, Tim3+: 20.08% vs 35.37%, p=0.007, PD-1+: 11.6% vs 34.3%, p=0.001, Lag3+: 29.12% vs 51.42%, p=0.006). In addition, BCL-XL was upregulated and IL2 secretion increased in EDuAb group. DuAb and EDuAb showed a similar capability in inducing healthy donor T cells to specifically eliminate B-ALL cell lines in vitro. At the concentration of 0.01nM, E/T ratio (2/1), the lysis of Nalm6 cells exceeded 96% after co-cultured for 48 hours. The similar ability was also observed in the patient-derived T cells. Both DuAb and EDuAb markedly suppressed tumor burden to baseline level and extended survival of B-ALL xenograft NSG mice. The median survival of vehicle, DuAb and EDuAb treatment group were 27, 38 and 45 days, respectively, which illustrated that EDuAb had a better therapeutic effect in vivo than that of DuAb (p=0.0066). The phenotype of T cells and cytokine release in peripheral blood of B-ALL xenograft NSG mouse model on day 24 were analyzed as well. The results showed that the proportion of CD8+ T cells and the cytokine levels, including IL2, IFN-γ and TNF-α, were higher in the EDuAb group than that of DuAb (CD8+: 0.746% vs 0.064%, p=0.0079; IL2: 1.862pg/ml vs 0.654pg/ml，p=0.0014; IFN-γ: 432.27pg/ml vs 1.48pg/ml, p= 0.047; TNF-α: 4.57pg/ml vs 2.08pg/ml, p=0.018). Both DuAb and EDuAb could significantly decrease the residual Nalm6 cells in PB of B-ALL xenograft NSG mice, and the residual tumor cells on day 24 were 1.61%, 0.45% and 0.29% in Vehicle, DuAb and EDuAb groups, respectively (Vehicle vs DuAb, p=0.0134; Vehicle vs EDuAb, p=0.0034; DuAb vs EDuAb, p=0.0169). Conclusion: Both DuAb and EDuAb showed great potential for clinical application as a novel treatment method for B-ALL. Compared with DuAb, there is a significant advantage for EDuAb to promote the proliferation and survival of T cells. In addition, EDuAb showed better promising effect to eliminate tumor cells and extend survival in vivo, which provides a new insight for constructing new multi-specific antibodies.

TP53 Altered Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells Hyperactivate Nuclear Factor-Kappa B

In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), standard therapies induce complete remission in 50-70% of patients, but the overall two-year survival is less than 20-30% because of high relapse rates. AML with mutations or deletions in TP53 (TP53 altered, TP53Alt) is a poor-risk AML subtype that is largely insensitive to chemotherapy, modern targeted agents, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. TP53Alts are seen in approximately 10-20% of AML and confer a particularly poor prognosis decreasing the 1-2-year survival rates to 0-10%. Leukemia stem cells (LSCs), the cells that recapitulate and propagate leukemia, are central drivers of leukemia progression and relapse. Therapeutically targeting LSCs is important to curing AML, but LSCs are poorly proliferative in contrast to bulk AML cells and are less sensitive to standard chemotherapy. Despite a broad literature defining the immunophenotype (the cell surface marker expression profile) and mechanisms of self-renewal of LSCs, the TP53 status has not been reported in most studies of human LSCs. Our goal is to define the immunophenotype and molecular states of primary human TP53Alt LSCs. First, we asked whether the LSC immunophenotype of TP53Alt AML is consistent with that of the previously reported LSC immunophenotype in AML. We sorted primary human TP53Alt AML samples and plated cells from sorted compartments in serial colony forming assays (which serve as an in vitro surrogate for self-renewal). We found that the Lineage-CD34+CD38-compartment is enriched in serial colony forming capacity in four primary human TP53Alt samples tested. In another TP53Alt sample, we found that the Lineage-CD34+CD38any compartment was enriched for serial colony formation. In vivo engraftment studies recapitulated these findings in one of the TP53Alt AML sample we tested. In the two CD34-TP53Alt AML samples studied the lineage-CD123+ compartment was enriched in serial colony forming capacity. Together, these findings suggest that the standard AML LSC markers also identifies the LSC compartment of TP53Alt AML. Next, we used mass cytometry (CyTOF) to define the proliferative and signaling states of human TP53Alt AML samples. Previous work has demonstrated that the LSC compartment of AML is poorly proliferative, relative to the bulk leukemia population. Consistent with these findings, we found low levels of Ki67 (a proliferation marker) expression, in TP53Alt LSCs, relative to bulk leukemia cells, in every primary TP53Alt AML that we profiled (n=7). Notably, we found that TP53Alt LSCs express high levels of pNFkB, p4EBP1, and pSTAT5, suggesting that these signals may mediate self-renewal in TP53Alt AML. Indeed, we found that CD69, an NFkB target gene, is elevated in TP53Alt LSCs and minimally expressed in bulk leukemia cells. Furthermore, we found that Ki67 levels are low in the CD69High subset, suggesting that this is a poorly proliferative subset (consistent with having self-renewal capacity). Finally, we sorted primary samples according to CD69 status and found that CD69marks a subset with enhanced serial colony forming capacity. Together, these findings demonstrate that traditional LSC markers can be used to study TP53Alt LSCs and that NFkB activation is correlated with self-renewal function in these LSCs. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

Dysregulation of PRMT5 in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Supports Transformation to Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Background: Richter's transformation (RT) is the progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) to a high-grade lymphoma, most commonly resembling a diffuse large B-cell-like lymphoma, that has a bleak prognosis of 6-12 months. Many of the recurrent somatic alterations identified in RT are also associated with the CLL-phase of disease, suggesting additional unidentified genetic, epigenetic, or molecular events underlie transformation. Aberrant PRMT5 expression is known to promote and maintain oncogenic signaling in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas but its role in CLL and RT remains unclear. Methods: Tissue microarrays and western blots were used to evaluate PRMT5 expression in CLL/SLL and RT lymph nodes (LN). Differentially expressed genes between patient-matched RT LNs and CLL PBMCs were identified with scRNA-seq & scV(D)J-seq. ScRNA-seq was utilized to identify transcriptional changes between Eμ-PRMT5/TCL1 & Eμ-TCL1 mice. Tumor allografts were generated by administering 5 x 10^6 CD19+CD5+ spleen cells from Eμ-PRMT5/TCL1 mice intravenously to C57/BL6J mice. One week post-engraftment mice were enrolled in treatment groups (PRT382 10mg/kg, n=10; vehicle, n=7) with all treatments administered for 4 contiguous days per week by oral gavage. Results: Tissue microarray analysis on 70 CLL and 15 RT LN cases showed robust PRMT5 staining in RT LNs and minimal staining in CLL tissues. Immunoblot analysis revealed that CLL cells from patients that eventually undergo transformation displayed significant increase in PRMT5 expression months prior to transformation, whereas CLL patients maintained variable to minimal PRMT5 expression. ScRNA-seq & scV(D)J-seq on RT LN biopsies and CLL PBMCs from two patients revealed that PRMT5 expression was restricted to distinct nodal B cell subpopulations co-expressing MYC, BIRC5, CD83, and CD69. One PRMT5+ cluster displayed overlapping expression of proliferative markers (Mki67, TOP2A, PCNA, CALM2/3, and HMGB1/2) with enriched EIF4 signaling. Anti-apoptotic and immune modulating genes (BCL21A, IL4I1, TCL1A, and CCL3/4) were enriched in the second PRMT5+ nodal cluster. Interestingly, transcriptional diversity was enhanced in clonally related RT B cell populations with an increased proportion of cells expressing PRMT5 when compared to the CLL-phase of disease. To further evaluate the role of PRMT5 in CLL disease progression, we conducted histopathologic analysis on the spleen and lymph nodes of 6 month old animals from Eµ-PRMT5/TCL1 & Eµ-TCL1 mouse models, revealing a RT-like histology with loss of germinal centers and effacement of normal architecture exclusively in Eµ-PRMT5/TCL1 animals. Transcriptional changes underlying phenotypic differences between Eµ-PRMT5/TCL1 & Eµ-TCL1 mice were also assessed by scRNA-seq, where splenic B cells of the Eµ-PRMT5/TCL1 exhibited increased expression of oncogenic and immune regulating genes (Myc, Mki67, Egr1, Cxcr5, Ccr7, Il-10, Ctla4, and Pd-L1). Interestingly, the dominant B-cell clusters enriched in Eµ-PRMT5/TCL1 spleen and LNs showed significant transcriptional overlap with human RT PRMT5 expressing LN clusters (e.g., Myc, Cd83, and Cd69). With the observation that PRMT5 may play a significant role in CLL-to-RT evolution, we then aimed to evaluate the use of targeted PRMT5 inhibition against murine RT-like tumors in vivo. Using the selective SAM-competitive PRMT5 inhibitor, PRT382, in Eµ-PRMT5/TCL1 allografts, we observed PRT382 treatment delayed leukemic expansion, increased median survival (p<0.0001), and reduced spleen mass compared to vehicle treated mice. Conclusion: We show that PRMT5 is upregulated in the lymph nodes of CLL patients prior to and after transformation, suggesting a role for PRMT5 in CLL transformation to RT. Likewise, the Eμ-PRMT5/TCL1 mouse model develops a RT-like histology and shows significant overlap in the transcriptional profile to human RT tumors. And further, inhibition of PRMT5 with PRT382 provides significant improvement in median overall survival and slows disease progression in Eμ-PRMT5/TCL1 adoptive transfer models. Our preclinical data identifies PRMT5 as a high-risk marker in CLL and provides rationale for the clinical evaluation of PRMT5 inhibition in the treatment of high-risk CLL/RT.

TMIC-43. HEDGEHOG LIGANDS FROM GLIOBLASTOMA CELLS INDUCE ASTROCYTES INHIBITION OF CANCER STEM CELLS

Abstract BACKGROUND The Hedgehog pathway directs gene expression programs that are essential for glioblastoma stem cells in vitro, but a clinical trial suggested Hedgehog pathway inhibition does not improve glioblastoma outcomes (ABTC-0904). In pancreatic and bladder cancer, Hedgehog signaling through the tumor microenvironment induces stromal morphogens to inhibit cancer stem cell proliferation. Thus, we hypothesized Hedgehog signaling through the glioblastoma microenvironment may inhibit glioblastoma stem cell proliferation in vivo. METHODS Hedgehog signaling was studied using patient-derived, fluorescently-labeled IDH wild-type glioblastoma cells (GBM6, SF11956, SF11907, GPMP004, GPMP005) in vitro, in vivo after intracranial implantation in mice, or in 3D co-culture with iPSC-derived organoids comprised of human astrocytes or neurons. Genetic loss-of-function experiments were performed using CRISPR interference. Cell proliferation, stem cell marker expression, Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) expression, or primary cilia architecture were assessed using immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, or live-cell imaging. Hedgehog signaling or morphogen expression were assessed using QPCR or single-cell RNA sequencing. Pharmacologic experiments were performed using vismodegib to inhibit the Hedgehog pathway, or FK506 to induce stromal morphogen expression. RESULTS Vismodegib increased glioblastoma cell proliferation and stem cell marker expression in vivo or in co-culture with astrocyte organoids. Single-cell RNA sequencing demonstrated glioblastoma cell co-culture with astrocyte organoids induced Hedgehog target genes and stem cell markers in glioblastoma cells, or stromal morphogens in astrocytes, which also expressed primary cilia. CRISPRi suppression of SHH in glioblastoma cells increased glioblastoma cell proliferation and stem cell marker expression in co-culture with astrocyte organoids. Neither vismodegib nor SHH suppression induced glioblastoma cell proliferation or stem cell marker expression in vitro or in co-culture with neuron organoids. FK506 induced astrocyte morphogen expression, inhibiting glioblastoma cell proliferation, stem cell marker expression, and the effects of vismodegib in co-culture with astrocyte organoids. CONCLUSIONS SHH from glioblastoma cells signals through astrocytes to inhibit cancer stem cell proliferation.

Correlation between the expression of LAT1 in cancer cells and the potential efficacy of boron neutron capture therapy.

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a binary cancer therapy that involves boron administration and neutron irradiation. The nuclear reaction caused by the interaction of boron atom and neutron produces heavy particles with highly cytocidal effects and destruct tumor cells, which uptake the boron drug. p-Boronophenylalanine (BPA), an amino acid derivative, is used in BNCT. Tumor cells with increased nutrient requirements take up more BPA than normal tissues via the enhanced expression of LAT1, an amino acid transporter. The current study aimed to assess the correlation between the expression of LAT1 and the uptake capacity of BPA using genetically modified LAT1-deficient/enhanced cell lines. We conducted an in vitro study, SCC7 tumor cells wherein LAT1 expression was altered using CRISPR/Cas9 were used to assess BPA uptake capacity. Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were used to examine the expression status of LAT1 in human tumor tissues, the potential impact of LAT1 expression on cancer prognosis and the potential cancer indications for BPA-based BNCT. We discovered that the strength of LAT1 expression strongly affected the BPA uptake ability of tumor cells. Among the histologic types, squamous cell carcinomas express high levels of LAT1 regardless of the primary tumor site. The higher LAT1 expression in tumors was associated with a higher expression of cell proliferation markers and poorer patient prognosis. Considering that BPA concentrate more in tumors with high LAT1 expression, the results suggest that BNCT is effective for cancers having poor prognosis with higher proliferative potential and nutritional requirements.

Glioblastoma-Derived Three-Dimensional Ex Vivo Models to Evaluate Effects and Efficacy of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields).

Glioblastoma (GBM) displays a wide range of inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity contributing to therapeutic resistance and relapse. Although Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) are effective for the treatment of GBM, there is a lack of ex vivo models to evaluate effects on patients' tumor biology or to screen patients for treatment efficacy. Thus, we adapted patient-derived three-dimensional tissue culture models to be compatible with TTFields application to tissue culture. Patient-derived primary cells (PDPC) were seeded onto murine organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHSC), and microtumor development with and without TTFields at 200 kHz was observed. In addition, organoids were generated from acute material cultured on OHSC and treated with TTFields. Lastly, the effect of TTFields on expression of the Ki67 proliferation marker was evaluated on cultured GBM slices. Microtumors exhibited increased sensitivity towards TTFields compared to monolayer cell cultures. TTFields affected tumor growth and viability, as the size of microtumors and the percentage of Ki67-positive cells decreased after treatment. Nevertheless, variability in the extent of the response was preserved between different patient samples. Therefore, these pre-clinical GBM models could provide snapshots of the tumor to simulate patient treatment response and to investigate molecular mechanisms of response and resistance.

Augmented CPT1A Expression Is Associated with Proliferation and Colony Formation during Barrett's Tumorigenesis.

Obesity is a known risk factor for the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett’s Esophagus (BE) and the progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma. The mechanisms by which obesity contributes to GERD, BE and its progression are currently not well understood. Recently, changes in lipid metabolism especially in the context of a high fat diet have been linked to GERD and BE leading us to explore whether fatty acid oxidation plays a role in the disease progression from GERD to esophageal adenocarcinoma. To that end, we analyzed the expression of the rate-limiting enzyme, carnitine palmytoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A), in human tissues and cell lines representing different stages in the sequence from normal squamous esophagus to cancer. We determined uptake of palmitic acid, the most abundant fatty acid in human serum, with fluorescent dye-labeled lipids as well as functional consequences of stimulation with palmitic acid relevant to Barrett’s tumorigenesis, e.g., proliferation, characteristics of stemness and IL8 mediated inflammatory signaling. We further employed different mouse models including a genetic model of Barrett’s esophagus based on IL1β overexpression in the presence and absence of a high fat diet and deoxycholic acid to physiologically mimic gastrointestinal reflux in the mice. Together, our data demonstrate that CPT1A is upregulated in Barrett’s tumorigenesis and that experimental palmitic acid is delivered to mitochondria and associated with increased cell proliferation and stem cell marker expression.

AMFR and DCTN2 genes cause transplantation resistance of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is characterized by pancreatic beta cell destruction by autoantibodies and other factors, resulting in insulin secretion deficiency. Therefore, beta cell regeneration would be necessary to cure the disease. Nevertheless, the impact of type 1 diabetes on the stemness and transplantation efficiency of stem cells has not been previously described. In this study, we used next-generation sequencing to identify genes differentially expressed in T1DM adipose-derived stem cells (T1DM ADSCs) that originate from patients with type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, we evaluated their effects on transplantation efficiency following xenotransplantation into immunodeficient mice. In the T1DM ADSCs transplant group, the volume and weight of the graft were significantly reduced and the transplant efficiency was reduced. Next-generation sequencing and quantitative PCR results showed that T1DM ADSCs had significantly increased expression of AMFR and DCTN2. AMFR and DCTN2 gene knockdown in T1DM ADSC significantly restored cell proliferation and stem cell marker expression. Therefore, transplantation of T1DM ADSCs, in which AMFR and DCTN2 were knocked down, into immunodeficient mice improved transplant efficiency. This study revealed that AMFR and DCTN2 can reduce transplantation efficiency of T1DM ADSCs. Focusing on AMFR and DCTN2 is expected to increase the efficiency of stem cell transplantation therapy for diabetic patients.

Monitoring of Ex Vivo Cyclosporin a Activity in Healthy Volunteers Using T Cell Function Assays in Relation to Whole Blood and Cellular Pharmacokinetics.

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of calcineurin inhibitors (i.e., tacrolimus and cyclosporin A) is standard of care after solid organ transplantation. Although the incidence of acute rejection has strongly decreased, there are still many patients who experience severe side effects or rejection after long-term treatment. In this healthy volunteer study we therefore aimed to identify biomarkers to move from a pharmacokinetic-based towards a pharmacodynamic-based monitoring approach for calcineurin inhibitor treatment. Healthy volunteers received a single dose of cyclosporine A (CsA) or placebo, after which whole blood samples were stimulated to measure ex vivo T cell functionality, including proliferation, cytokine production, and activation marker expression. The highest whole blood concentration of CsA was found at 2 h post-dose, which resulted in a strong inhibition of interferon gamma (IFNy) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production and expression of CD154 and CD71 on T cells. Moreover, the in vitro effect of CsA was studied by incubation of pre-dose whole blood samples with a concentration range of CsA. The average in vitro and ex vivo CsA activity overlapped, making the in vitro dose–effect relationship an interesting method for prediction of post-dose drug effect. The clinical relevance of the results is to be explored in transplantation patients on calcineurin inhibitor treatment.

Effects of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived intestinal organoids on colitis-model mice

IntroductionUlcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by repeated remissions and relapses. Immunosuppressive drugs have facilitated the induction and maintenance of remission in many patients with UC. However, immunosuppressive drugs cannot directly repair impaired intestinal mucosa and are insufficient for preventing relapse. Therefore, new treatment approaches to repair the damaged epithelium in UC have been attempted through the transplantation of intestinal organoids, which can be differentiated into mucosa by embedding in Matrigel, generated from patient-derived intestinal stem cells. The method, however, poses the challenge of yielding sufficient cells for UC therapy, and patient-derived cells might already have acquired pathological changes. In contrast, human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells generated from healthy individuals are infinitely proliferated and can be differentiated into target cells. Recently developed human iPS cell-derived intestinal organoids (HIOs) aim to generate organoids that closely resemble the adult intestine. However, no study till date has reported HIOs injected into in vivo inflammatory models, and it remains unclear whether HIOs with cells that closely resemble the adult intestine or with intestinal stem cells retain the better ability to repair tissue in colitis.MethodsWe generated two types of HIOs via suspension culture with and without small-molecule compounds: HIOs that include predominantly more intestinal stem cells [HIO (A)] and those that include predominantly more intestinal epithelial and secretory cells [HIO (B)]. We examined whether the generated HIOs engrafted in vivo and compared their ability to accelerate recovery of the damaged tissue.ResultsFindings showed that the HIOs expressed intestinal-specific markers such as caudal-type homeobox 2 (CDX2) and villin, and HIOs engrafted under the kidney capsules of mice. We then injected HIOs into colitis-model mice and found that the weight and clinical score of the mice injected with HIO (A) recovered earlier than that of the mice in the sham group. Further, the production of mucus and the expression of cell proliferation markers and tight junction proteins in the colon tissues of the HIO (A) group were restored to levels similar to those observed in healthy mice. However, neither HIO (A) nor HIO (B) could be engrafted into the colon.ConclusionsEffective cell therapy should directly repair tissue by engraftment at the site of injury. However, the difference in organoid property impacting the rate of tissue repair in transplantation without engraftment observed in the current study should be considered a critical consideration in the development of regenerative medicine using iPS-derived organoids.

Trypanosoma cruzi Infection Promotes Vascular Remodeling and Coexpression of α-Smooth Muscle Actin and Macrophage Markers in Cells of the Aorta.

Chagas disease is an emerging global health problem; however, it remains neglected. Increased aortic stiffness (IAS), a predictor of cardiovascular events, has recently been reported in asymptomatic chronic Chagas patients. After vascular injury, smooth muscle cells (SMCs) can undergo alterations associated with phenotypic switch and transdifferentiation, promoting vascular remodeling and IAS. By studying different mouse aortic segments, we tested the hypothesis that Trypanosoma cruzi infection promotes vascular remodeling. Interestingly, the thoracic aorta was the most affected by the infection. Decreased expression of SMC markers and increased expression of proliferative markers were observed in the arteries of acutely infected mice. In acutely and chronically infected mice, we observed cells coexpressing SMC and macrophage (Mo) markers in the media and adventitia layers of the aorta, indicating that T. cruzi might induce cellular processes associated with SMC transdifferentiation into Mo-like cells or vice versa. In the adventitia, the Mo cell functional polarization was associated with an M2-like CD206+arginase-1+ phenotype despite the T. cruzi presence in the tissue. Only Mo-like cells in inflammatory foci were CD206+iNOS+. In addition to the disorganization of elastic fibers, we found thickening of the aortic layers during the acute and chronic phases of the disease. Our findings indicate that T. cruzi infection induces a vascular remodeling with SMC dedifferentiation and increased cell populations coexpressing α-SMA and Mo markers that could be associated with IAS promotion. These data highlight the importance of studying large vessel homeostasis in Chagas disease.

Space microgravity improves proliferation of human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes.

SummaryIn microgravity, cells undergo profound changes in their properties. However, how human cardiac progenitors respond to space microgravity is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the effect of space microgravity on differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiac progenitors compared with 1G cultures on the International Space Station (ISS). Cryopreserved 3D cardiac progenitors were cultured for 3 weeks on the ISS. Compared with 1G cultures, the microgravity cultures had 3-fold larger sphere sizes, 20-fold higher counts of nuclei, and increased expression of proliferation markers. Highly enriched cardiomyocytes generated in space microgravity showed improved Ca2+ handling and increased expression of contraction-associated genes. Short-term exposure (3 days) of cardiac progenitors to space microgravity upregulated genes involved in cell proliferation, survival, cardiac differentiation, and contraction, consistent with improved microgravity cultures at the late stage. These results indicate that space microgravity increased proliferation of hiPSC-cardiomyocytes, which had appropriate structure and function.

DOT1L regulates MTDH-mediated angiogenesis in triple-negative breast cancer: intermediacy of NF-κB-HIF1α axis.

DOT1L, a specific H3K79 methyltransferase, has a tumour-promoting role in various cancers, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the molecular mechanism by which the deregulated DOT1L promotes cancer progression is unclear. Herein, we show that a significantly higher basal level of DOTL1 strongly correlates with MTDH, an oncogene, in clinical TNBC patient cohorts and mediates TNBC progression by enhancing MTDH-induced angiogenesis. In parallel, severe combined immunodeficiency mice-bearing MDA-MB-231 cells with MTDH-Wt or MTDHΔ7 (spliced isoform of MTDH) overexpression constructs showed enhanced blood vessel formations at the tumour site in comparison with control groups. Selective inhibition of DOT1L by EPZ004777, a specific DOT1L inhibitor, or siDOT1L, significantly impaired MTDH-induced proliferation, invasion and angiogenic markers expression in TNBC cells. ChIP assay revealed that Dot1L promotes MTDH-Wt/Δ7 transcription by increasing H3K79me3 levels on its promoter. Dot1L depletion reversed this effect. Mechanistically, DOT1L-induced MTDH caused enhanced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) occupancy on the hypoxia-inducible factor1α (HIF1α) promoter and increased its transcription, leading to elevated levels of proangiogenic mediators in TNBC cells. Moreover, the condition media obtained from MDA-MB-231 cells stably expressing either MTDH-Wt or MTDHΔ7 treated with EPZ004777 or Bay-11-7082 (NF-κB inhibitor) or FM19G11 (HIF1α inhibitor) significantly inhibited MTDH-induced tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, rat aortic ring sprouting and vessel formations by chick chorioallantoic membrane assay mimicking physiological angiogenic vasculature. Collectively, our findings reveal a novel epigenetic regulation of MTDH by DOTL1, which drives angiogenesis, and that the therapeutic disruption of the DOT1L-MTDH-NF-κB-HIF1α axis may have usefulness in the management of TNBC.

Impact of MyD88, Microbiota, and Location on Type 1 and Type 3 Innate Lymphoid Cells during Toxoplasma gondii Infection.

Toxoplasma gondii induces strong IFN-γ-based immunity. Innate lymphoid cells (ILC), in particular ILC1, are an important innate source of this protective cytokine during infection. Our objective was to determine how MyD88-dependent signaling influences ILC function during peroral compared with i.p. infection with T. gondii. MyD88 +/+ and MyD88 -/- mice were orally inoculated with ME49 cysts, and small intestinal lamina propria ILC were assessed using flow cytometry. We observed T-bet+ ILC1, retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt+ ILC3, and a population of T-bet+retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt+ double-positive ILC. In MyD88 -/- mice, IFN-γ-producing T-bet+ ILC1 frequencies were reduced compared with wild-type. Treatment of MyD88 -/- mice with an antibiotic mixture to deplete microflora reduced IFN-γ+ ILC1 frequencies. To examine ILC responses outside of the mucosal immune system, peritoneal exudate cells were collected from wild-type and knockout mice after i.p. inoculation with ME49 cysts. In this compartment, ILC were highly polarized to the ILC1 subset that increased significantly and became highly positive for IFN-γ over the course of infection. Increased ILC1 was associated with expression of the Ki67 cell proliferation marker, and the response was driven by IL-12p40. In the absence of MyD88, IFN-γ expression by ILC1 was not maintained, but proliferation remained normal. Collectively, these data reveal new aspects of ILC function that are influenced by location of infection and shaped further by MyD88-dependent signaling.

Inter-component immunohistochemical assessment of proliferative markers in uterine carcinosarcoma.

In the scientific literature, a selected number of reports have investigated the impact of proliferative activity on the development and progression of uterine carcinosarcomas (UC). The aim of the present retrospective study was to compare the immunohistochemical proliferation markers [Ki67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), minichromosome maintenance complex component 3 (MCM3), and topoisomerase IIα (topoIIα)] assessment in both components of UC. A total of 30 paraffin-embedded slides of UCs, obtained from patients who underwent surgery between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2020, were analyzed. Medical records and clinicopathological data of patients were reviewed. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections were immunostained with monoclonal antibodies against Ki67, PCNA, MCM3 and topoIIα. Ki67-positive nuclear immunoreactivity was reported in 20 (67%) and 16 (53%) UC carcinomatous and sarcomatous components, respectively. In the epithelial component, Ki67 positive staining was related to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (P=0.025), and histological grade (G1 vs. G2/G3, P=0.031). Nuclear PCNA reactivity was observed in 18 (60%) and 16 (53%) carcinomatous and sarcomatous components, respectively. Notably, all four cases with omental metastases were PCNA-positive, and a relationship between staining pattern and the existence of metastases was of significant value (P=0.018). MCM3-positive nuclear staining was found nearly twice as high in the carcinomatous (n=19; 63%), compared with the sarcomatous (n=11; 37%) component, respectively, and MCM3 expression in the epithelial component was related to clinical stage (P=0.030), and the existence of omental metastasis (P=0.012). In addition, out of the 30 UCs, 17 (57%) and 13 (43%) showed topoIIα positivity in the carcinomatous and sarcomatous UC components, respectively. A significant relationship between protein immunoreactivity and FIGO stage (P=0.049), and omental metastasis (P=0.026) was revealed to exist. However, no significant differences between expression of proliferation markers and clinicopathological features in the sarcomatous UC component were identified. Finally, a significant correlation between each protein immunohistochemical staining was demonstrated, particularly in the sarcomatous UC component. Collectively, a combined analysis of Ki67, PCNA, MCM3, and topoIIα may provide more detailed information of cell-cycle alterations determining the heterogeneity of uterine carcinosarcomas.

Effects of an inhibitor of the SHH signaling pathway on endometrial cells of patients with endometriosis

BackgroundEndometriosis is one of the most common gynecological diseases, and seriously reduces the quality of life of patients. However, the pathogenesis of this disease is unclear. Therefore, more studies are needed to elucidate its pathogenesis. Our previous publication found that the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway was activated in endometriosis. This study tested whether SHH signaling in endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) was critical for the pathogenesis of endometriosis.MethodsTo examine the effect of inhibiting the SHH signaling pathway on endometriosis, we first isolated ESCs from eutopic endometrial tissues of patients with or without endometriosis and identified the extracted cells by morphological observation and immunofluorescence. Then, we treated ESCs with the GLI inhibitor GANT61 and used CCK-8, wound healing and invasion assays to detect cell activities, such as proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Furthermore, we detected the expression of key proteins and proliferation markers of the SHH signaling pathway in the lesions of nude mice using immunochemistry.ResultsWe demonstrated that higher concentrations of GANT61 decreased the proliferation rate and migration distance of ESCs. We observed that GANT61 inhibited the invasion of ESCs. In addition, blockage of the SHH signaling pathway significantly reduced cell proliferation in vitro.ConclusionsOur study suggested that inhibition of the SHH pathway is involved in cell proliferation and invasive growth in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.