A Huntingtin Knockin Pig Model Recapitulates Features of Selective Neurodegeneration in Huntington's Disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by preferential loss of the medium spiny neurons in the striatum. Using CRISPR/Cas9 and somatic nuclear transfer technology, we established a knockin (KI) pig model of HD that endogenously expresses full-length mutant huntingtin (HTT). By breeding this HD pig model, we have successfully obtained F1 and F2 generation KI pigs. Characterization of founder and F1 KI pigs shows consistent movement, behavioral abnormalities, and early death, which are germline transmittable. More importantly, brains of HD KI pig display striking and selective degeneration of striatal medium spiny neurons. Thus, using a large animal model of HD, we demonstrate for the first time that overt and selective neurodegeneration seen in HD patients can be recapitulated by endogenously expressed mutant proteins in large mammals, a finding that also underscores the importance of using large mammals to investigate the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases and their therapeutics.

Post-translational Control of the Temporal Dynamics of Transcription Factor Activity Regulates Neurogenesis.

Neurogenesis is initiated by the transient expression of the highly conserved proneural proteins, bHLH transcriptional regulators. Here, we discover a conserved post-translational switch governing the duration of proneural protein activity that is required for proper neuronal development. Phosphorylation of a single Serine at the same position in Scute and Atonal proneural proteins governs the transition from active to inactive forms by regulating DNA binding. The equivalent Neurogenin2 Threonine also regulates DNA binding and proneural activity in the developing mammalian neocortex. Using genome editing in Drosophila, we show that Atonal outlives its mRNA but is inactivated by phosphorylation. Inhibiting the phosphorylation of the conserved proneural Serine causes quantitative changes in expression dynamics and target gene expression resulting in neuronal number and fate defects. Strikingly, even a subtle change from Serine to Threonine appears to shift the duration of Atonal activity in vivo, resulting in neuronal fate defects.

Decoding gene regulation in the fly brain.

The Drosophila brain is a frequently used model in neuroscience. Single-cell transcriptome analysis1-6, three-dimensional morphological classification7 and electron microscopy mapping of the connectome8,9 have revealed an immense diversity of neuronal and glial cell types that underlie an array of functional and behavioural traits in the fly. The identities of these cell types are controlled by gene regulatory networks (GRNs), involving combinations of transcription factors that bind to genomic enhancers to regulate their target genes. Here, to characterize GRNs at the cell-type level in the fly brain, we profiled the chromatin accessibility of 240,919 single cells spanning 9 developmental timepoints and integrated these data with single-cell transcriptomes. We identify more than 95,000 regulatory regions that are used in different neuronal cell types, of which 70,000 are linked to developmental trajectories involving neurogenesis, reprogramming and maturation. For 40 cell types, uniquely accessible regions were associated with their expressed transcription factors and downstream target genes through a combination of motif discovery, network inference and deep learning, creating enhancer GRNs. The enhancer architectures revealed by DeepFlyBrain lead to a better understanding of neuronal regulatory diversity and can be used to design genetic driver lines for cell types at specific timepoints, facilitating their characterization and manipulation.

Loss of TDP-43 mediates severe neurotoxicity by suppressing PJA1 gene transcription in the monkey brain.

The nuclear loss and cytoplasmic accumulation of TDP-43 (TAR DNA/RNA binding protein 43) are pathological hallmarks of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Previously, we reported that the primate-specific cleavage of TDP-43 accounts for its cytoplasmic mislocalization in patients' brains. This prompted us to investigate further whether and how the loss of nuclear TDP-43 mediates neuropathology in primate brain. In this study, we report that TDP-43 knockdown at the similar effectiveness, induces more damage to neuronal cells in the monkey brain than rodent mouse. Importantly, the loss of TDP-43 suppresses the E3 ubiquitin ligase PJA1 expression in the monkey brain at transcriptional level, but yields an opposite upregulation of PJA1 in the mouse brain. This distinct effect is due to the species-dependent binding of nuclear TDP-43 to the unique promoter sequences of the PJA1 genes. Further analyses reveal that the reduction of PJA1 accelerates neurotoxicity, whereas overexpressing PJA1 diminishes neuronal cell death by the TDP-43 knockdown in vivo. Our findings not only uncover a novel primate-specific neurotoxic contribution to the loss of function theory of TDP-43 proteinopathy, but also underscore a potential therapeutic approach of PJA1 to the loss of nuclear TDP-43.

Effect of vaginal microecological disorders on the increased risk of abnormal cervical cytology among women living with HIV in China.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal cervical cytology is commonly observed in women living with HIV (WLWH). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 130 WLWH and 147 age-matched healthy controls, who underwent gynecological examinations at Beijing Ditan Hospital. The presence of abnormal cervical cytology in WLWH was predicted after performing a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression revealed three independent factors, among which CD4 cell counts of more than 350 cells/µL was the protective factor, while human papillomavirus infection and abnormal vaginal pH were the risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Vaginal microecological disorders can increase the risk of abnormal cervical cytology in WLWH.

Cell Membrane Engineered Polypeptide Nanonets Mimicking Macrophage Aggregates for Enhanced Antibacterial Treatment.

Drug-resistant bacterial infections and their lipopolysaccharide-related inflammatory complications continue to pose significant challenges in traditional treatments. Inspired by the rapid initiation of resident macrophages to form aggregates for efficient antibacterial action, this study proposes a multifunctional and enhanced antibacterial strategy through the construction of novel biomimetic cell membrane polypeptide nanonets (R-DPB-TA-Ce). The design involves the fusion of end-terminal lipidated polypeptides containing side-chain cationic boronic acid groups (DNPLBA) with cell membrane intercalation engineering (R-DPB), followed by coordination with the tannic acid-cerium complex (TA-Ce) to assemble into a biomimetic nanonet through boronic acid-polyphenol-metal ion interactions. In addition to the ability of RAW 264.7 macrophages cell membrane components' (R) ability to neutralize lipopolysaccharide (LPS), R-DPB-TA-Ce demonstrated enhanced capture of bacteria and its LPS, leveraging nanoconfinement-enhanced multiple interactions based on the boronic acid-polyphenol nanonets skeleton combined with polysaccharide. Utilizing these advantages, indocyanine green (ICG) is further employed as a model drug for delivery, showcasing the exceptional treatment effect of R-DPB-TA-Ce as a new biomimetic assembled drug delivery system in antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing promotion. Thus, this strategy of mimicking macrophage aggregates is anticipated to be further applicable to various types of cell membrane engineering for enhanced antibacterial treatment.

Circular RNA PDK1 targets miR-4731-5p to enhance TNXB expression in ligamentum flavum hypertrophy.

Hypertrophic ligamentum flavum (LF) is a main factor responsible for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS); however, the exact mechanisms of the pathogenesis of these processes remain unknown. This study aimed to elucidate whether circular RNAs and microRNAs regulate the pathogenesis of LF and LSS, especially focusing on circPDK1 (hsa_circ_0057105), a circRNA targeting pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 and differentially expressed in LF tissues between lumbar disk herniation and LSS patients. The circPDK1/miR-4731 and miR-4731/TNXB (Tenascin XB) interactions were predicted and validated by luciferase reporter assay. Colony formation, wound-healing, and MTT assays were used for estimating cell proliferation and migration. Protein expression levels were evaluated using Western blotting. TNXB expression was verified using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Overexpressing circPDK1 promoted the proliferation, migration, and expression of fibrosis-related protein (alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), lysyl oxidase like 2 (LOXL2), Collagen I, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and TNXB) in LF whereas miR-4731-5p showed opposite effects. The expression of TNXB was promoted by circPDK1; contrary results were observed with miR-4731-5p. Co-overexpression of miR-4731-5p partially reversed the proliferative and fibrosis-prompting effects of circPDK1 or TNXB. The circPDK1-miR-4731-TNXB pathway may be proposed as a regulatory axis in LF hypertrophy, which might shed light on in-depth research of LSS, as well as providing a novel therapeutic target for LF hypertrophy-induced LSS.

Mitochondrial disturbance related to increased caspase-1 of CD4+T cells in HIV-1 infection.

BACKGROUND: In HIV-1 infection, more than 95% of CD4+T cells die of caspase-1 mediated pyroptosis. What governs the increased susceptibility of CD4+T cells to pyroptosis is poorly understood. METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from 31 untreated HIV-infected patients (UNT), 29 antiretroviral therapy treated HIV-infected patients (ART), and 21 healthy control donors (HD). Plasma levels of IL-18 and IL-1ß, caspase-1 expression, mitochondrial mass (MM) and mitochondrial fusion/fisson genes of CD4+T subsets were measured. RESULTS: A significantly higher IL-18 level in plasma and MM level of CD4+T cells were found in HIV-infected patients (UNT and ART) compared to HD, and the MMhigh phenotype was manifested, related to increased caspase-1 expression. Moreover, the increased MM was more pronounced in the early differentiated and inactivated CD4+T cells. However, higher MM was not intrinsically linked to T cell differentiation disorder or excessive activation of the CD4+T cells. Mechanistically, the increased MM was significantly correlated with an elevated level of expression of the mitochondrial fusion gene mitofusin1. CONCLUSION: An increase in MM was associated with heightened sensitivity of CD4+T cells to pyroptosis, even in early differentiated and inactivated CD4+T cells, in patients with HIV-1 infection, regardless of whether patients were on antiretroviral therapy or not. These new revelations have uncovered a previously unappreciated challenge to immune reconstitution with antiretroviral therapy.

Regulation of Keap1-Nrf2 signaling in health and diseases.

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) functions as a central regulator in modulating the activities of diverse antioxidant enzymes, maintaining cellular redox balance, and responding to oxidative stress (OS). Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) serves as a principal negative modulator in controlling the expression of detoxification and antioxidant genes. It is widely accepted that OS plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of various diseases. When OS occurs, leading to inflammatory infiltration of neutrophils, increased secretion of proteases, and the generation of large quantities of reactive oxygen radicals (ROS). These ROS can oxidize or disrupt DNA, lipids, and proteins either directly or indirectly. They also cause gene mutations, lipid peroxidation, and protein denaturation, all of which can result in disease. The Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway regulates the balance between oxidants and antioxidants in vivo, maintains the stability of the intracellular environment, and promotes cell growth and repair. However, the antioxidant properties of the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway are reduced in disease. This review overviews the mechanisms of OS generation, the biological properties of Keap1-Nrf2, and the regulatory role of its pathway in health and disease, to explore therapeutic strategies for the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway in different diseases.

Corydecusines A-H, new phthalideisoquinoline hemicetal alkaloids from the bulbs of Corydalis decumbens inhibit Tau pathology by activating autophagy mediated by AMPK-ULK1 pathway.

Twelve phthalideisoquinoline hemiacetal alkaloids including eight new ones (1-8) and one natural alkaloid characterized by an aziridine moiety with unassigned NMR data (9), were isolated and identified from the bulbs of Corydalis decumbens. Their structures were established by comprehensive analyses of HRESIMS, NMR, X-ray crystallography, and ECD analyses. The unambiguously established structures of the phthalideisoquinoline hemiacetal alkaloids indicated that the absolute configurations of C-1, C-9, and C-7' were confusable only relied on coupling constants. A summary of their ECD spectra was concluded and provided an insight for C-1, C-9, and C-7' absolute configuration assignment. These new compounds were evaluated to induce autophagy flux through flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, compounds 2 and 6 could significantly induce autophagy and inhibit Tau pathology by AMPK-ULK1 pathway activation, which provided an avenue for anti-AD lead compounds discovery.

Active Constituents with Tyrosinase Inhibitory Activities from Waste Tobacco Leaves.

One novel compound, (R)-3, 6-diethoxy-4-hydroxycyclohex-3-en-1-one (1) and thirteen known compounds were isolated from the waste tobacco leaves. The structures of two compounds (1-2) were confirmed and attributed firstly by the extensive spectroscopic data, including 1D/2D NMR, IR, HR-ESI-MS, CD, and ECD spectra. Notably, seven compounds (2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13) exhibited better tyrosinase inhibitory activity than the positive control kojic acid. The binding modes of these compounds revealed that their structure formed strong hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces with the active sites of tyrosinase. These results indicated that waste tobacco leaves are good resources for developing tyrosinase inhibitors.

γ-Gammaglutamyl transferase predicts all-cause mortality within three-year intervals in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

OBJECTIVES: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) serves as a vital renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). γ-Gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GGT) is a recognized predictor of oxidative stress and mortality. This study aimed to assess the prognostic significance of γ-GGT in predicting all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among PD patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted, enrolling 640 PD patients from a single center. The one-year, three-year, and five-year mortality rates for all causes and cardiovascular causes were evaluated. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed. RESULTS: Within five years of initiating PD, the observed all-cause mortality rates at one, three, and five years were 11.72%, 16.09%, and 23.44%, while cardiovascular mortality rates were 2.97%, 7.34%, and 11.09%, respectively. Lower γ-GGT levels were associated with decreased all-cause mortality during one-, three-, and five-year follow-ups, along with reduced cardiovascular mortality in the first and third years, as indicated by Kaplan-Meier analysis on median γ-GGT groupings. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed significantly decreased hazard ratios (HRs) for one- to five-year all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in the lower γ-GGT group compared to higher groups. However, when sex differences were eliminated using separate tertile groupings for males and females, only the one- and three-year all-cause mortality rates demonstrated significantly reduced hazard ratios (HRs) in the lower γ-GGT groups. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study suggests that γ-GGT levels have prognostic significance in predicting one- and three-year all-cause mortality among PD patients when accounting for sex differences.

Three new quinolizidine alkaloids from the roots of Sophora tonkinensis.

Three new quinolizidine alkaloids (1 - 3), including one new naturally isoflavone and cytisine polymer (3), along with 6 known ones were isolated from the ethanol extract of Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic data analysis (IR, UV, HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR), combined with ECD calculations. The antifungal activity against Phytophythora capsica, Botrytis cinerea, Gibberella zeae, and Alternaria alternata of the compounds was evaluated in a mycelial inhibition assay. Biological tests indicated that compound 3 exhibited strong antifungal activity against P. capsica with EC50 values of 17.7 µg/ml.

Distinctive Patterns of 5-Methylcytosine and 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in Schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a highly heritable neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by cognitive and social dysfunction. Genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors are together implicated in the pathogenesis and development of schizophrenia. DNA methylation, 5-methycytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxylcytosine (5hmC) have been recognized as key epigenetic elements in neurodevelopment, ageing, and neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, distinctive 5mC and 5hmC pattern and expression changes of related genes have been discovered in schizophrenia. Antipsychotic drugs that affect 5mC status can alleviate symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, suggesting a critical role for DNA methylation in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Further exploring the signatures of 5mC and 5hmC in schizophrenia and developing precision-targeted epigenetic drugs based on this will provide new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia.

Huntington's Disease: Complex Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Strategies.

Huntington's disease (HD) arises from the abnormal expansion of CAG repeats in the huntingtin gene (HTT), resulting in the production of the mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) with a polyglutamine stretch in its N-terminus. The pathogenic mechanisms underlying HD are complex and not yet fully elucidated. However, mHTT forms aggregates and accumulates abnormally in neuronal nuclei and processes, leading to disruptions in multiple cellular functions. Although there is currently no effective curative treatment for HD, significant progress has been made in developing various therapeutic strategies to treat HD. In addition to drugs targeting the neuronal toxicity of mHTT, gene therapy approaches that aim to reduce the expression of the mutant HTT gene hold great promise for effective HD therapy. This review provides an overview of current HD treatments, discusses different therapeutic strategies, and aims to facilitate future therapeutic advancements in the field.

[Research progress in chemical constituents and pigment extraction process of Carthami Flos].

Carthami Flos(flowers of Carthamus tinctorius) with the effects of activating blood, dredging meridians, dissipating stasis, and relieving pain is one of the commonly used traditional Chinese medicines for promoting blood circulation and resolving stasis in clinical practice. So far, more than 210 compounds in Carthami Flos have been isolated and reported, including quinochalcones(safflower yellow pigments and red pigments), flavonoids, spermidines, alkaloids, polyacetylenes, and organic acids. Safflower yellow pigments, as the main water-soluble active components of Carthami Flos, is commonly obtained by the water extraction method, while red pigments are commonly obtained by the alkali extraction and acid precipitation method. In recent years, natural deep eutectic solvents as green solvents have demonstrated promising application prospects in the extraction and separation of pigments from Carthami Flos. This review systematically summarizes the chemical constituents of Carthami Flos and analyzes the extraction process of pigment components from Carthami Flos, aiming to provide a reference for further utilization of Carthami Flos resources.

Aberrant splicing of mutant huntingtin in Huntington's disease knock-in pigs.

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by a CAG repeat expansion in exon1 of the huntingtin gene (HTT). This expansion leads to the production of N-terminal mutant huntingtin protein (mHtt) that contains an expanded polyglutamine tract, which is toxic to neurons and causes neurodegeneration. While the production of N-terminal mHtt can be mediated by proteolytic cleavage of full-length mHtt, abnormal splicing of exon1-intron1 of mHtt has also been identified in the brains of HD mice and patients. However, the proportion of aberrantly spliced exon1 mHTT in relation to normal mHTT exon remains to be defined. In this study, HTT exon1 production was examined in the HD knock-in (KI) pig model, which more closely recapitulates neuropathology seen in HD patient brains than HD mouse models. The study revealed that aberrant spliced HTT exon1 is also present in the brains of HD pigs, but it is expressed at a much lower level than the normally spliced HTT exon products. These findings suggest that careful consideration is needed when assessing the contribution of aberrantly spliced mHTT exon1 to HD pathogenesis, and further rigorous investigation is required.

Lack of association of somatic CAG repeat expansion with striatal neurodegeneration in HD knock-in animal models.

Our previous work has established a huntingtin knock-in (KI) pig model that displays striatal neuronal loss, allowing us to examine if somatic CAG expansion in striatum accounts for the preferential neurodegeneration in Huntington disease (HD). We found that HD KI pigs do not display somatic CAG expansion in striatum as HD KI mice and that the majority of polyQ repeats in exon 1 HTT in the striatum of HD KI mice are fairly stable. We also found that striatal MSH2 and MLH3, which are involved in DNA repair, are more abundant in mouse brains than pig brains. Consistently inhibiting MSH2 and MLH3 reduced the somatic CAG expansion in HD KI mouse striatum with no influence on neuropathology. Our findings suggest that somatic CAG expansion is species-dependent, occurs in a small fraction of the HD gene in mice, and does not critically contribute to HD neuropathology.

Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Patients with Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagogastric Junction: A Retrospective, Multicenter, Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Although the incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) has been increasing since the past decade, the proportion of AEG cases in two previous clinical trials (ACTS-GC and CLASSIC) that investigated the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy was relatively small. Therefore, whether AEG patients can benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy remains unclear. METHODS: Patients who were diagnosed with pathological stage II/III, Siewert II/III AEG, and underwent curative surgery at three high-volume institutions were assessed. Clinical outcomes were analyzed by using Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank test, and Cox regression model. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to reduce the selection bias. RESULTS: A total of 927 patients were included (the chemotherapy group: 696 patients; the surgery-only group: 231 patients). The median follow-up was 39.0 months. The 5-year overall survival was 63.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 59.0-67.6%) for the chemotherapy group and 50.2% in the surgery-only group (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.54-0.88; p = 0.003). The 5-year, disease-free survival was 35.4% for the chemotherapy group and 16.6% for the surgery-only group (HR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.53-0.83; p < 0.001). After PSM, the survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy for AEG was maintained. Multivariate analysis for overall survival and disease-free survival further demonstrated the survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy, with HRs of 0.63 (p < 0.001) and 0.52 (p < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with operable stage II or III AEG after D2 gastrectomy.

A clue to the evolutionary history of modern East Asian flora: Insights from phylogeography and diterpenoid alkaloid distribution pattern of the Spiraea japonica complex.

Each subkingdom of East Asian flora (EAF) has a unique evolutionary history, but which has rarely been described based on phylogeographic studies of EAF species. The Spiraea japonica L. complex, which is widespread in East Asia (EA), has received considerable attention because of the presence of diterpenoid alkaloids (DAs). It provides a proxy for understanding the genetic diversity and DA distribution patterns of species under various environmental conditions associated with the geological background in EA. In the present study, the plastome and chloroplast/nuclear DNA of 71 populations belonging to the S. japonica complex and its congeners were sequenced, combined with DA identification, environmental analyses, and ecological niche modelling, to investigate their phylogenetic relationships, genetic and DAs distribution patterns, biogeography, and demographic dynamics. An "ampliative" S. japonica complex was put forward, comprising all species of Sect. Calospira Ser. Japonicae, of which three evolutionary units carrying their respective unique types of DAs were identified and associated with the regionalization of EAF (referring to the Hengduan Mountains, central China, and east China). Moreover, a transition belt in central China with its biogeographic significance was revealed by genetic and DA distribution patterns from the perspective of ecological adaptation. The origin and onset differentiation of the "ampliative" S. japonica complex was estimated in the early Miocene (22.01/19.44 Ma). The formation of Japanese populations (6.75 Ma) was facilitated by the land bridge, which subsequently had a fairly stable demographic history. The populations in east China have undergone a founder effect after the Last Glacial Maximum, which may have been promoted by the expansion potential of polyploidization. Overall, the in-situ origin and diversification of the "ampliative" S. japonica complex since the early Miocene is a vertical section of the formation and development of modern EAF and was shaped by the geological history of each subkingdom.