Hepatocyte CD1d protects against liver immunopathology in mice with schistosomiasis japonica.

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease with over 250 million people infected worldwide. The main clinically important species Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) and Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) cause inflammatory responses against tissue-trapped eggs, resulting in formation of granulomas mainly in host liver. Persistent granulomatous response results in severe fibrosis in the liver, leading to irreversible impairment of the liver and even death of the host. CD1d, a highly conserved MHC class I-like molecule, is expressed by both haematopoietic and non-haematopoietic cells. CD1d on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) of haematopoietic origin presents pathogen-derived lipid antigens to natural killer T (NKT) cells, which enables them to rapidly produce large amounts of various cytokines and facilitate CD4+ T helper (Th) cell differentiation upon invading pathogens. Noteworthy, hepatocytes of non-haematopoietic origin have recently been shown to be involved in maintaining liver NKT cell homeostasis through a CD1d-dependent manner. However, whether hepatocyte CD1d-dependent regulation of NKT cell homeostasis also modulates CD4+ Th cell responses and liver immunopathology in murine schistosomiasis remains to be addressed. Here, we show in mice that CD1d expression on hepatocytes was decreased dramatically upon S. japonicum infection, accompanied by increased NKT cells, as well as upregulated Th1 and Th2 responses. Overexpression of CD1d in hepatocytes significantly decreased local NKT numbers and cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-13), concomitantly with downregulation of both Th1 and Th2 responses and alleviation in pathological damage in livers of S. japonicum-infected mice. These findings highlight the potential of hepatocyte CD1d-targeted therapies for liver immunopathology control in schistosomiasis.

High performance relaxor-based ferroelectric single crystals for ultrasonic transducer applications.

Relaxor-based ferroelectric single crystals Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) have drawn much attention in the ferroelectric field because of their excellent piezoelectric properties and high electromechanical coupling coefficients (d33~2000 pC/N, kt~60%) near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). Ternary Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT) single crystals also possess outstanding performance comparable with PMN-PT single crystals, but have higher phase transition temperatures (rhombohedral to tetragonal Trt, and tetragonal to cubic Tc) and larger coercive field Ec. Therefore, these relaxor-based single crystals have been extensively employed for ultrasonic transducer applications. In this paper, an overview of our work and perspectives on using PMN-PT and PIN-PMN-PT single crystals for ultrasonic transducer applications is presented. Various types of single-element ultrasonic transducers, including endoscopic transducers, intravascular transducers, high-frequency and high-temperature transducers fabricated using the PMN-PT and PIN-PMN-PT crystals and their 2-2 and 1-3 composites are reported. Besides, the fabrication and characterization of the array transducers, such as phased array, cylindrical shaped linear array, high-temperature linear array, radial endoscopic array, and annular array, are also addressed.

Nuclear pore protein POM121 regulates subcellular localization and transcriptional activity of PPARγ.

Manipulation of the subcellular localization of transcription factors by preventing their shuttling via the nuclear pore complex (NPC) emerges as a novel therapeutic strategy against cancer. One transmembrane component of the NPC is POM121, encoded by a tandem gene locus POM121A/C on chromosome 7. Overexpression of POM121 is associated with metabolic diseases (e.g., diabetes) and unfavorable clinical outcome in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) is a transcription factor with anti-diabetic and anti-tumoral efficacy. It is inhibited by export from the nucleus to the cytosol via the RAS-RAF-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway, a major oncogenic driver of CRC. We therefore hypothesized that POM121 participates in the transport of PPARγ across the NPC to regulate its transcriptional activity on genes involved in metabolic and tumor control. We found that POM121A/C mRNA was enriched and POM121 protein co-expressed with PPARγ in tissues from CRC patients conferring poor prognosis. Its interactome was predicted to include proteins responsible for tumor metabolism and immunity, and in-silico modeling provided insights into potential 3D structures of POM121. A peptide region downstream of the nuclear localization sequence (NLS) of POM121 was identified as a cytoplasmic interactor of PPARγ. POM121 positivity correlated with the cytoplasmic localization of PPARγ in patients with KRAS mutant CRC. In contrast, POM121A/C silencing by CRISPR/Cas9 sgRNA or siRNA enforced nuclear accumulation of PPARγ and activated PPARγ target genes promoting lipid metabolism and cell cycle arrest resulting in reduced proliferation of human CRC cells. Our data suggest the POM121-PPARγ axis as a potential drugable target in CRC.

Myotubularin-related-protein-7 inhibits mutant (G12V) K-RAS by direct interaction.

Inhibition of K-RAS effectors like B-RAF or MEK1/2 is accompanied by treatment resistance in cancer patients via re-activation of PI3K and Wnt signaling. We hypothesized that myotubularin-related-protein-7 (MTMR7), which inhibits PI3K and ERK1/2 signaling downstream of RAS, directly targets RAS and thereby prevents resistance. Using cell and structural biology combined with animal studies, we show that MTMR7 binds and inhibits RAS at cellular membranes. Overexpression of MTMR7 reduced RAS GTPase activities and protein levels, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, c-FOS transcription and cancer cell proliferation in vitro. We located the RAS-inhibitory activity of MTMR7 to its charged coiled coil (CC) region and demonstrate direct interaction with the gastrointestinal cancer-relevant K-RASG12V mutant, favouring its GDP-bound state. In mouse models of gastric and intestinal cancer, a cell-permeable MTMR7-CC mimicry peptide decreased tumour growth, Ki67 proliferation index and ERK1/2 nuclear positivity. Thus, MTMR7 mimicry peptide(s) could provide a novel strategy for targeting mutant K-RAS in cancers.

IL-33 induces thymic involution-associated naive T cell aging and impairs host control of severe infection.

Severe infection commonly results in immunosuppression, which leads to impaired pathogen clearance or increased secondary infection in both humans and animals. However, the exact mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that IL-33 results in immunosuppression by inducing thymic involution-associated naive T cell dysfunction with aberrant expression of aging-associated genes and impairs host control of infection in mouse disease models of schistosomiasis or sepsis. Furthermore, we illustrate that IL-33 triggers the excessive generation of medullary thymic epithelial cell (mTEC) IV (thymic tuft cells) in a Pou2f3-dependent manner, as a consequence, disturbs mTEC/cortical TEC (cTEC) compartment and causes thymic involution during severe infection. More importantly, IL-33 deficiency, the anti-IL-33 neutralizing antibody treatment, or IL-33 receptor ST2 deficient thymus transplantation rescues T cell immunity to better control infection in mice. Our findings not only uncover a link between severe infection-induced IL-33 and thymic involution-mediated naive T cell aging, but also suggest that targeting IL-33 or ST2 is a promising strategy to rejuvenate T cell immunity to better control severe infection.

Expression of the EGFR-RAS Inhibitory Proteins DOK1 and MTMR7 and its Significance in Colorectal Adenoma and Adenoma Recurrence.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Colorectal adenomas are precursor lesions for colorectal cancer (CRC), a major cause of cancer-related death. Despite all molecular insights, there are still unknown variables in the development of CRC as well as uncertainties regarding adenoma recurrence after resection. We aimed to characterize the expression of docking protein 1 (DOK1) and myotubularin-related protein 7 (MTMR7), which share inhibiting functions on EGFR-RAS-signalling, a major oncogenic driver in CRC, and their association with clinical variables and adenoma recurrence. METHODS: This observational study is based on clinical data obtained from patients who underwent routine endoscopy and consecutive follow-up examinations. Immunohistochemistry was conducted both in dysplastic tissue and adjacent non-dysplastic mucosa followed by microscopical assessment. Recurrence was differentiated between local, segmental and distant relapse. RESULTS: A total of 56 patients (23 females) gathering 96 adenomas/polyps were included. 36 patients experienced a metachronous lesion, 23 patients had simultaneous lesions in their index endoscopy. Female patients showed lower levels of MTMR7 in adenomas (p=0.0318). Adenomas of young patients showed lower DOK1 than those of older patients (p=0.0469). Big adenomas showed a higher expression of DOK1 than small lesions (p=0.0044). In serrated lesions, DOK1 was reduced (p=0.0026) and correlated with the quantity of lesions (p < 0.001). MTMR7 was significantly reduced in distant (p=0.05) and local segmental recurrence (p=0.0362), while DOK1 showed higher expression in recurrence (p=0.0291). CONCLUSIONS: We found ambivalent results regarding the role of the markers as potential tumor suppressors, implying a context-dependent function of these molecules which might change in the course of time. DOK1 may play an inhibiting role in the serrated pathway. Remarkably, molecular markers have the potential to predict recurrence, since a combined expression analysis of high DOK1 and low MTMR7 correlated with the likelihood of segmental adenoma recurrence.

Schistosome eggs stimulate reactive oxygen species production to enhance M2 macrophage differentiation and promote hepatic pathology in schistosomiasis.

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease of public health concern. The most devastating pathology in schistosomiasis japonica and mansoni is mainly attributed to the egg-induced granulomatous response and secondary fibrosis in host liver, which may lead to portal hypertension or even death of the host. Schistosome eggs induce M2 macrophages-rich granulomas and these M2 macrophages play critical roles in the maintenance of granuloma and subsequent fibrosis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are highly produced by stimulated macrophages during infection and necessary for the differentiation of M2 macrophages, are massively distributed around deposited eggs in the liver. However, whether ROS are induced by schistosome eggs to subsequently promote M2 macrophage differentiation, and the possible underlying mechanisms as well, remain to be clarified during S. japonicum infection. Herein, we observed that extensive expression of ROS in the liver of S. japonicum-infected mice. Injection of ROS inhibitor in infected mice resulted in reduced hepatic granulomatous responses and fibrosis. Further investigations revealed that inhibition of ROS production in S. japonicum-infected mice reduces the differentiation of M2, accompanied by increased M1 macrophage differentiation. Finally, we proved that S. japonicum egg antigens (SEA) induce a high level of ROS production via both nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase 2 (NOX2) and mitochondria in macrophages. Our study may help to better understand the mechanism of schistosomiasis japonica-induced hepatic pathology and contribute to the development of potential therapeutic strategies by interfering with ROS production.

CD40 Signaling Promotes CXCR5 Expression in B Cells via Noncanonical NF-κB Pathway Activation.

Chemokine receptor CXCR5-mediated control of B cell trafficking in the lymphoid tissues plays a central role in orchestrating the B cell function, which not only guides the colocalization of B cells with follicular helper T cells in the follicular mantle zone but also determines the position of germinal center dark and light zones. However, the mechanisms that regulate the expression of CXCR5 in B cells remain unclear. Here, we show that the expression level of CXCR5 in B cells was substantially reduced in vitro culture conditions, while being maintained in the presence of CD40 signals. Furthermore, CD40 signaling promotes CXCR5 expression in B cells at least partially through noncanonical NF-κB signaling pathway activation. However, other non-B cells also contributed to the optimal expression of CXCR5 in B cells through cell-cell contact and cytokine secretion. Our findings suggest that CD40 signaling-mediated activation of the noncanonical NF-κB pathway promotes the expression of CXCR5 in a B cell-intrinsic way to orchestrate the trafficking of B cells.