Development of CRISPR as an Antiviral Strategy to Combat SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has highlighted the need for antiviral approaches that can target emerging viruses with no effective vaccines or pharmaceuticals. Here, we demonstrate a CRISPR-Cas13-based strategy, PAC-MAN (prophylactic antiviral CRISPR in human cells), for viral inhibition that can effectively degrade RNA from SARS-CoV-2 sequences and live influenza A virus (IAV) in human lung epithelial cells. We designed and screened CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) targeting conserved viral regions and identified functional crRNAs targeting SARS-CoV-2. This approach effectively reduced H1N1 IAV load in respiratory epithelial cells. Our bioinformatic analysis showed that a group of only six crRNAs can target more than 90% of all coronaviruses. With the development of a safe and effective system for respiratory tract delivery, PAC-MAN has the potential to become an important pan-coronavirus inhibition strategy.

An autosomal-dominant childhood-onset disorder associated with pathogenic variants in VCP.

Valosin-containing protein (VCP) is an AAA+ ATPase that plays critical roles in multiple ubiquitin-dependent cellular processes. Dominant pathogenic variants in VCP are associated with adult-onset multisystem proteinopathy (MSP), which manifests as myopathy, bone disease, dementia, and/or motor neuron disease. Through GeneMatcher, we identified 13 unrelated individuals who harbor heterozygous VCP variants (12 de novo and 1 inherited) associated with a childhood-onset disorder characterized by developmental delay, intellectual disability, hypotonia, and macrocephaly. Trio exome sequencing or a multigene panel identified nine missense variants, two in-frame deletions, one frameshift, and one splicing variant. We performed in vitro functional studies and in silico modeling to investigate the impact of these variants on protein function. In contrast to MSP variants, most missense variants had decreased ATPase activity, and one caused hyperactivation. Other variants were predicted to cause haploinsufficiency, suggesting a loss-of-function mechanism. This cohort expands the spectrum of VCP-related disease to include neurodevelopmental disease presenting in childhood.

Adipocyte HSL is required for maintaining circulating vitamin A and RBP4 levels during fasting.

Vitamin A (retinol) is distributed via the blood bound to its specific carrier protein, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4). Retinol-loaded RBP4 is secreted into the circulation exclusively from hepatocytes, thereby mobilizing hepatic retinoid stores that represent the major vitamin A reserves in the body. The relevance of extrahepatic retinoid stores for circulating retinol and RBP4 levels that are usually kept within narrow physiological limits is unknown. Here, we show that fasting affects retinoid mobilization in a tissue-specific manner, and that hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) in adipose tissue is required to maintain serum concentrations of retinol and RBP4 during fasting in mice. We found that extracellular retinol-free apo-RBP4 induces retinol release by adipocytes in an HSL-dependent manner. Consistently, global or adipocyte-specific HSL deficiency leads to an accumulation of retinoids in adipose tissue and a drop of serum retinol and RBP4 during fasting, which affects retinoid-responsive gene expression in eye and kidney and lowers renal retinoid content. These findings establish a novel crosstalk between liver and adipose tissue retinoid stores for the maintenance of systemic vitamin A homeostasis during fasting.

Vimentin intermediate filaments provide structural stability to the mammalian Golgi complex.

The Golgi complex comprises a connected ribbon of stacked cisternal membranes localized to the perinuclear region in most vertebrate cells. The position and morphology of this organelle depends upon interactions with microtubules and the actin cytoskeleton. In contrast, we know relatively little about the relationship of the Golgi complex with intermediate filaments (IFs). In this study, we show that the Golgi is in close physical proximity to vimentin IFs in cultured mouse and human cells. We also show that the trans-Golgi network coiled-coil protein GORAB can physically associate with vimentin IFs. Loss of vimentin and/or GORAB had a modest effect upon Golgi structure at the steady state. The Golgi underwent more rapid disassembly upon chemical disruption with brefeldin A or nocodazole, and slower reassembly upon drug washout, in vimentin knockout cells. Moreover, loss of vimentin caused reduced Golgi ribbon integrity when cells were cultured on high-stiffness hydrogels, which was exacerbated by loss of GORAB. These results indicate that vimentin IFs contribute to the structural stability of the Golgi complex and suggest a role for GORAB in this process.

Fixed-duration venetoclax plus obinutuzumab improves quality of life and geriatric impairments in FCR-unfit patients with CLL.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)-related symptoms and morbidity related to the advanced age at diagnosis impairs the well-being of older adult patients. Therefore, it is essential to tailor treatment according to geriatric characteristics and aim for an improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as a primary treatment goal. In the HOVON139/GiVe trial, 12 cycles of fixed-duration venetoclax plus obinutuzumab (Ven-O) were shown to be effective and tolerable in FCR (fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, rituximab)-unfit patients with CLL (n = 67). However, prolonged venetoclax exposure as consolidation treatment led to increased toxicity with limited effect on minimal residual disease. To assess the impact of geriatric assessment on treatment outcomes and the patients' HRQoL, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), including function, depression, cognition, nutrition, physical performance, muscle parameters, comorbidities, and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer C30 and CLL17 questionnaires were assessed. At baseline, geriatric impairments were present in >90% of patients and ≥2 impairments present in 60% of patients predicted grade ≥3 nonhematological toxicity. During treatment, the number of geriatric impairments diminished significantly and clinically relevant improvements in HRQoL subscales were reached for global health status, physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, fatigue, dyspnea, physical condition or fatigue, and worries or fears related to health and functioning. These improvements were comparable for patients receiving venetoclax consolidation and patients in whom treatment could mostly be discontinued. Collectively, frontline fixed-duration Ven-O improves overall PROs in older, unfit patients with CLL with and without geriatric impairments. This study was registered at EudraCT as 2015-004985-27 and the Netherlands Trial Register as NTR6043.

Novel loss-of-function variants expand ABCC9-related intellectual disability and myopathy syndrome.

Loss-of-function mutation of ABCC9, the gene encoding the SUR2 subunit of ATP sensitive-potassium (KATP) channels, was recently associated with autosomal recessive ABCC9-related intellectual disability and myopathy syndrome (AIMS). Here we identify nine additional subjects, from seven unrelated families, harbouring different homozygous loss-of-function variants in ABCC9 and presenting with a conserved range of clinical features. All variants are predicted to result in severe truncations or in-frame deletions within SUR2, leading to the generation of non-functional SUR2-dependent KATP channels. Affected individuals show psychomotor delay and intellectual disability of variable severity, microcephaly, corpus callosum and white matter abnormalities, seizures, spasticity, short stature, muscle fatigability and weakness. Heterozygous parents do not show any conserved clinical pathology but report multiple incidences of intra-uterine fetal death, which were also observed in an eighth family included in this study. In vivo studies of abcc9 loss-of-function in zebrafish revealed an exacerbated motor response to pentylenetetrazole, a pro-convulsive drug, consistent with impaired neurodevelopment associated with an increased seizure susceptibility. Our findings define an ABCC9 loss-of-function-related phenotype, expanding the genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of AIMS and reveal novel human pathologies arising from KATP channel dysfunction.

Defect-Driven Configurational Entropy in the High-Entropy Oxide Li1.5MO3-δ.

Layered lithiated oxides are promising materials for next generation Li-ion battery cathode materials; however, instability during cycling results in poor performance over time compared to the high capacities theoretically possible with these materials. Here we report the characterizations of a Li1.47Mn0.57Al0.13Fe0.095Co0.105Ni0.095O2.49 high-entropy layered oxide (HELO) with the Li2MO3 structure where M = Mn, Al, Fe, Co, and Ni. Using electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy, we identify a homogeneous Li2MO3 structure stabilized by the entropic contribution of oxygen vacancies. This defect-driven entropy would not be attainable in the LiMO2 structure sometimes observed in similar materials as a secondary phase owing to the presence of fewer O sites and a 3+ oxidation state for the metal site; instead, a Li2-γMO3-δ is produced. Beyond Li2MO3, this defect-driven entropy approach to stabilizing novel compositions and phases can be applied to a wide array of future cathode materials including spinel and rock salt structures.

What is the economic benefit of annual COVID-19 vaccination from the adult individual perspective?

BACKGROUND: With COVID-19 vaccination no longer mandated by many businesses/organizations, it is now up to individuals to decide whether to get any new boosters/updated vaccines going forward. METHODS: We developed a Markov model representing the potential clinical/economic outcomes from an individual perspective in the United States of getting versus not getting an annual COVID-19 vaccine. RESULTS: For an 18-49-year-old, getting vaccinated at its current price ($60) can save the individual on average $30-$603 if the individual is uninsured and $4-$437 if the individual has private insurance, as long as the starting vaccine efficacy against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is ≥50% and the weekly risk of getting infected is ≥0.2%, corresponding to an individual interacting with 9 other people in a day under Winter 2023-2024 Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant conditions with an average infection prevalence of 10%. For a 50-64-year-old, these cost-savings increase to $111-$1,278 and $119-$1,706, for someone without and with insurance, respectively. The risk threshold increases to ≥0.4% (interacting with 19 people/day), when the individual has 13.4% pre-existing protection against infection (e.g., vaccinated 9 months earlier). CONCLUSION: There is both clinical and economic incentive for the individual to continue to get vaccinated against COVID-19 each year.

Activity of venetoclax in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: analysis of the VENICE-1 multicentre, open-label, single-arm, phase 3b trial.

BACKGROUND: Most patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia progress after treatment or retreatment with targeted therapy or chemoimmunotherapy and have limited subsequent treatment options. Response levels to the single-agent venetoclax in the relapsed setting is unknown. We aimed to assess venetoclax activity in patients with or without previous B-cell receptor-associated kinase inhibitor (BCRi) treatment. METHODS: This multicentre, open-label, single-arm, phase 3b trial (VENICE-1) assessed activity and safety of venetoclax monotherapy in adults with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, stratified by previous exposure to a BCRi. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older with previously treated relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Presence of del(17p) or TP53 aberrations and previous BCRi treatment were permitted. Patients received 5-week ramp-up to 400 mg of oral venetoclax once daily and were treated for up to 108 weeks, with 2 years follow-up after discontinuation, or optional extended access. The primary activity endpoint was complete remission rate (complete remission or complete remission with incomplete marrow recovery) in BCRi-naive patients. Analyses used the intent-to-treat (ie, all enrolled patients, which coincided with those who received at least one dose of venetoclax). This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02756611, and is complete. FINDINGS: Between June 22, 2016, and March 11, 2022, we enrolled 258 patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (180 [70%] were male; 252 [98%] were White; 191 were BCRi-naive and 67 were BCRi-pretreated). Median follow-up in the overall cohort was 49·5 months (IQR 47·2-54·1), 49·2 months (47·2-53·2) in the BCRi-naive group, and 49·7 months (47·4-54·3) in the BCRi-pretreated group. Of 191 BCRi-naive patients, 66 (35%; 95% CI 27·8-41·8) had complete remission or complete remission with incomplete marrow recovery. 18 (27%; 95% CI 16·8-39·1) of 67 patients in the BCRi-pretreated group had complete remission or complete remission with incomplete marrow recovery. Grade 3 or worse treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 203 (79%) and serious adverse events were reported in 136 (53%) of 258 patients in the overall cohort. The most common treatment-emergent adverse event was neutropenia (96 [37%]) and the most common and serious adverse event was pneumonia (21 [8%]). There were 13 (5%) deaths reported due to adverse events; one of these deaths (autoimmune haemolytic anaemia) was possibly related to venetoclax. No new safety signals were identified. INTERPRETATION: These data demonstrate deep and durable responses with venetoclax monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, including BCRi-pretreated patients, suggesting that venetoclax monotherapy is an effective strategy for treating BCRi-naive and BCRi-pretreated patients. FUNDING: AbbVie.

Intestinal retinol saturase is implicated in the development of obesity and epithelial homeostasis upon injury.

Retinol saturase (RetSat) is an oxidoreductase involved in lipid metabolism and the cellular sensitivity to peroxides. RetSat is highly expressed in metabolic organs like liver and adipose tissue and its global loss in mice increases body weight and adiposity. The regulation of RetSat expression and its function in the intestine are unexplored. Here, we show that RetSat is present in different segments of the digestive system, localizes to intestinal epithelial cells, and is upregulated by feeding mice high-fat diet (HFD). Intestine-specific RetSat deletion in adult mice did not affect nutrient absorption and energy homeostasis basally, but lowered body weight gain and fat mass of HFD-fed mice, potentially via increasing locomotor activity. Moreover, jejunal expression of genes related to ß-oxidation and cholesterol efflux were decreased and colonic cholesterol content reduced upon RetSat deletion. In colitis, which we show to downregulate intestinal RetSat expression in humans and mice, RetSat ablation improved epithelial architecture of the murine colon. Thus, intestinal RetSat expression is regulated by dietary interventions and inflammation, and its loss reduces weight gain upon HFD-feeding and alleviates epithelial damage upon injury.

Patient perspectives in adverse event reporting after vaginal apical prolapse surgery.

BACKGROUND: Many clinical trials use systematic methodology to monitor adverse events and determine grade (severity), expectedness, and relatedness to treatments as determined by clinicians. However, patient perspectives are often not included in this process. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare clinician vs patient grading of adverse event severity in a urogynecologic surgical trial. Secondary objectives were to estimate the association of patient grading of adverse events with decision-making and quality of life outcomes and to determine if patient perspective changes over time. STUDY DESIGN: This was a planned supplementary study (Patient Perspectives in Adverse Event Reporting [PPAR]) to a randomized trial comparing 3 surgical approaches to vaginal apical prolapse. In the parent trial, adverse events experienced by patients were collected per a standardized protocol every 6 months during which clinicians graded adverse event severity (mild, moderate, severe/life-threatening). In this substudy, we obtained additional longitudinal patient perspectives for 19 predetermined "PPAR adverse events." Patients provided their own severity grading (mild, moderate, severe/very severe/life-threatening) at initial assessment and at 12 and 36 months postoperatively. Clinicians and patients were masked to each other's reporting. The primary outcome was the interrater agreement (kappa statistic) for adverse event severity between the initial clinician and patient assessment, combining patient grades of mild and moderate. The association between adverse event severity and the Decision Regret Scale, Satisfaction with Decision Scale, the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey, and Patient Global Impression of Improvement scores was assessed using the Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) for continuous scales, the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test for Patient Global Impression of Improvement, and t tests or chi-square tests comparing the assessments of patients who rated their adverse events or symptoms as severe with those who gave other ratings. To describe patient perspective changes over time, the intraobserver agreement was estimated for adverse event severity grade over time using weighted kappa coefficients. RESULTS: Of the 360 randomly assigned patients, 219 (61%) experienced a total of 527 PPAR adverse events (91% moderate and 9% severe/life-threatening by clinician grading). Mean patient age was 67 years; 87% were White and 12% Hispanic. Among the patients reporting any PPAR event, the most common were urinary tract infection (61%), de novo urgency urinary incontinence (35%), stress urinary incontinence (22%), and fecal incontinence (13%). Overall agreement between clinician and participant grading of severity was poor (kappa=0.24 [95% confidence interval, 0.14-0.34]). Of the 414 adverse events that clinicians graded as moderate, patients graded 120 (29%) as mild and 80 (19%) as severe. Of the 39 adverse events graded as severe by clinicians, patients graded 15 (38%) as mild or moderate. Initial patient grading of the most severe reported adverse event was mildly correlated with worse Decision Regret Scale (ρ=0.2; P=.01), 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (ρ=-0.24; P<.01), and Patient Global Impression of Improvement (P<.01) scores. There was no association between adverse event severity and Satisfaction with Decision Scale score. Patients with an initial grading of "severe" had more regret, lower quality of life, and poorer global impressions of health than those whose worst severity grade was mild (P<.05). Agreement between the patients' initial severity ratings and their ratings at 12 months (kappa=0.48 [95% confidence interval, 0.39-0.58]) and 36 months (kappa=0.45 [95% confidence interval, 0.37-0.53]) was fair. CONCLUSION: Clinician and patient perceptions of adverse event severity are discordant. Worse severity from the patient perspective was associated with patient-centered outcomes. Including the patient perspective provides additional information for evaluating surgical procedures.

Biallelic ANGPT2 loss-of-function causes severe early-onset non-immune hydrops fetalis.

BACKGROUND: Hydrops fetalis, a pathological fluid accumulation in two or more body compartments, is aetiologically heterogeneous. We investigated a consanguineous family with recurrent pregnancy loss due to severe early-onset non-immune hydrops fetalis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Whole exome sequencing in four fetuses with hydrops fetalis revealed that they were homozygous for the angiopoietin-2 (ANGPT2) variant Chr8 (GRCh37/Hg19): 6385085T>C, NM_001147.2:c.557A>G. The substitution introduces a cryptic, exonic splice site predicted to result in loss of 10 nucleotides with subsequent shift in reading frame, leading to a premature stop codon. RNA analysis in the heterozygous parents demonstrated loss of detectable mutant allele, indicative of loss-of-function via nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Serum ANGPT2 levels were reduced in the parents. In a pregnancy with a healthy, heterozygous child, transiently increased fetal nuchal translucency was noted. CONCLUSION: Pathogenic heterozygous ANGPT2 missense variants were recently shown to cause autosomal dominant primary lymphoedema. ANGPT2 is a ligand of the TIE1-TIE2 (tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin-like and epidermal growth factor-like domains 1 and 2) pathway. It is critical to the formation and remodelling of blood and lymphatic vessels and is involved in vessel maintenance. ANGPT2 knockout mice die from generalised lymphatic dysfunction. We show here that a homozygous pathogenic variant causes loss-of-function and results in severe early-onset hydrops fetalis. This is the first report of an autosomal recessive ANGPT2-related disorder in humans.

A Systems Map of the Challenges of Climate Communication.

Over the past sixty years, scientists have been warning about climate change and its impacts on human health, but evidence suggests that many may not be heeding these concerns. This raises the question of whether new communication approaches are needed to overcome the unique challenges of communicating what people can do to slow or reverse climate change. To better elucidate the challenges of communicating about the links between human activity, climate change and its effects, and identify potential solutions, we developed a systems map of the factors and processes involved based on systems mapping sessions with climate change and communication experts. The systems map revealed 27 communication challenges such as "Limited information on how individual actions contribute to collective human activity," "Limited information on how present activity leads to long-term effects," and "Difficult to represent and communicate complex relationships." The systems map also revealed several themes among the identified challenges that exist in communicating about climate change, including a lack of available data and integrated databases, climate change disciplines working in silos, a need for a lexicon that is easily understood by the public, and the need for new communication strategies to describe processes that take time to manifest.

Hepatic p53 is regulated by transcription factor FOXO1 and acutely controls glycogen homeostasis.

The tumor suppressor p53 is involved in the adaptation of hepatic metabolism to nutrient availability. Acute deletion of p53 in the mouse liver affects hepatic glucose and triglyceride metabolism. However, long-term adaptations upon the loss of hepatic p53 and its transcriptional regulators are unknown. Here we show that short-term, but not chronic, liver-specific deletion of p53 in mice reduces liver glycogen levels, and we implicate the transcription factor forkhead box O1 protein (FOXO1) in the regulation of p53 and its target genes. We demonstrate that acute p53 deletion prevents glycogen accumulation upon refeeding, whereas a chronic loss of p53 associates with a compensational activation of the glycogen synthesis pathway. Moreover, we identify fasting-activated FOXO1 as a repressor of p53 transcription in hepatocytes. We show that this repression is relieved by inactivation of FOXO1 by insulin, which likely mediates the upregulation of p53 expression upon refeeding. Strikingly, we find that high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance with persistent FOXO1 activation not only blunted the regulation of p53 but also the induction of p53 target genes like p21 during fasting, indicating overlapping effects of both FOXO1 and p53 on target gene expression in a context-dependent manner. Thus, we conclude that p53 acutely controls glycogen storage in the liver and is linked to insulin signaling via FOXO1, which has important implications for our understanding of the hepatic adaptation to nutrient availability.

PAD2 immunization induces ACPA in wild-type and HLA-DR4 humanized mice.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with HLA-DRB1 alleles expressing the "shared epitope." RA is usually preceded by the emergence of anti-citrullinated protein autoantibodies (ACPAs). ACPAs recognize citrulline residues on numerous proteins. Conversion of arginine into citrulline is performed by enzymes called peptidyl arginine deiminases (PADs). We have previously demonstrated that C3H mice immunized with PADs can produce ACPAs by a hapten-carrier mechanism. Here, we address the influence of HLA-DR alleles in this model in mice expressing RA-associated HLA-DRB1*04:01 (KO/KI*04:01), HLA-DRB1*04:04 (KO/KI*04:04), or non-RA-associated HLA-DRB1*04:02 (KO/KI*04:02) after murine PAD2 immunization. Immunization with mPAD2 triggers production of ACPAs in wild-type (WT) and HLA-DR4 C57BL/6 mice. Both I-Ab and HLA-DR are involved in the activation of mPAD2-specific T lymphocytes. Among HLA-DR4 mice, mice expressing RA-associated HLA-DRB1*04:01 are the best responders to mPAD2 and the best anti-citrullinated peptide antibody producers.

Neuroinvasive West Nile virus infection in solid organ transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Literature on the natural course of neuroinvasive West Nile virus (WNV) infection in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients is sparse. In the setting of a 2021 WNV outbreak in Arizona, we reviewed our institution's experience with neuroinvasive WNV infection in patients with SOT. METHODS: We retrospectively identified SOT recipients treated for neuroinvasive WNV at Mayo Clinic in Arizona from 2007 through 2021. Clinical manifestations, disease course, and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 24 SOT recipients with WNV infection identified during the study period, 13 infections occurred in 2021. Most patients had gastrointestinal tract symptoms and fever at disease presentation. Five patients had cognitive impairment, and 14 initially or eventually had acute flaccid paralysis. Clinically significant deterioration occurred at a median of 4 (range, 1-11) days after hospital admission. Seventeen patients (71%) were transferred to the intensive care unit, with 15 requiring mechanical ventilation. Initial cerebrospinal fluid analysis mainly demonstrated a neutrophil-predominant pleocytosis. Almost all patients (n = 23) were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin alone or in combination with interferon alfa-2b. Sixteen patients had clinical improvement, 4 of whom recovered completely. Six patients died during hospitalization due to complications of neuroinvasive WNV infection. Two patients were discharged to hospice without clinical recovery. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 36%. CONCLUSION: Despite advances in supportive care, neuroinvasive WNV infection is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality in SOT recipients. Flaccid paralysis is an indicator of poor prognosis.

The Need for Systems Approaches for Precision Communications in Public Health.

A major challenge in communicating health-related information is the involvement of multiple complex systems from the creation of the information to the sources and channels of dispersion to the information users themselves. To date, public health communications approaches have often not adequately accounted for the complexities of these systems to the degree necessary to have maximum impact. The virality of COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation has brought to light the need to consider these system complexities more extensively. Unaided, it is difficult for humans to see and fully understand complex systems. Luckily, there are a range of systems approaches and methods, such as systems mapping and systems modeling, that can help better elucidate complex systems. Using these methods to better characterize the various systems involved in communicating public health-related information can lead to the development of more tailored, precise, and proactive communications. Proceeding in an iterative manner to help design, implement, and adjust such communications strategies can increase impact and leave less opportunity for misinformation and disinformation to spread.

Minimal residual disease-guided stop and start of venetoclax plus ibrutinib for patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (HOVON141/VISION): primary analysis of an open-label, randomised, phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Targeted time-limited treatment options are needed for patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of minimal residual disease (MRD)-guided, time-limited ibrutinib plus venetoclax treatment in this patient group. METHODS: HOVON141/VISION was an open-label, randomised, phase 2 trial conducted in 47 hospitals in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older with previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia with or without TP53 aberrations; had not been exposed to Bruton tyrosine-kinase inhibitors or BCL2 inhibitors; had a creatinine clearance rate of 30 mL/min or more; and required treatment according to International Workshop on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia 2018 criteria. Participants with undetectable MRD (<10-4; less than one chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cell per 10 000 leukocytes) in peripheral blood and bone marrow after 15 28-day cycles of oral ibrutinib (420 mg once daily) plus oral venetoclax (weekly ramp-up 20 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg, up to 400 mg once daily) were randomly assigned (1:2) to ibrutinib maintenance or treatment cessation. Patients who were MRD positive continued to receive ibrutinib monotherapy. Patients who became MRD (>10-2) during observation reinitiated treatment with ibrutinib plus venetoclax. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival at 12 months after random assignment in the treatment cessation group. Progression-free survival was analysed in the intention-to-treat population. All patients who received at least one dose of study drug were included in the safety assessment. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03226301, and is active but not recruiting. FINDINGS: Between July 12, 2017, and Jan 21, 2019, 230 patients were enrolled, 225 of whom were eligible. 188 (84%) of 225 completed treatment with ibrutinib plus venetoclax and were tested for MRD at cycle 15. After cycle 15, 78 (35%) patients had undetectable MRD and 72 (32%) were randomly assigned to a treatment group (24 to ibrutinib maintenance and 48 to treatment cessation). The remaining 153 patients were not randomly assigned and continued with ibrutinib monotherapy. Median follow-up of 208 patients still alive and not lost to follow-up at data cutoff on June 22, 2021, was 34·4 months (IQR 30·6-37·9). Progression-free survival after 12 months in the treatment cessation group was 98% (95% CI 89-100). Infections (in 130 [58%] of 225 patients), neutropenia (in 91 [40%] patients), and gastrointestinal adverse events (in 53 [24%] patients) were the most frequently reported; no new safety signals were detected. Serious adverse events were reported in 46 (40%) of 116 patients who were not randomly assigned and who continued ibrutinib maintenance after cycle 15, eight (33%) of 24 patients in the ibrutinib maintenance group, and four (8%) of 48 patients in the treatment cessation group. One patient who was not randomly assigned had a fatal adverse event (bleeding) deemed possibly related to ibrutinib. INTERPRETATION: These data point to a favourable benefit-risk profile of MRD-guided, time-limited treatment with ibrutinib plus venetoclax for patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, suggesting that MRD-guided cessation and reinitiation is feasible in this patient population. FUNDING: AbbVie and Janssen.

Acute retinol mobilization by retinol-binding protein 4 in mouse liver induces fibroblast growth factor 21 expression.

Hepatocytes secrete retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) into circulation, thereby mobilizing vitamin A from the liver to provide retinol for extrahepatic tissues. Obesity and insulin resistance are associated with elevated RBP4 levels in the blood. However, in a previous study, we observed that chronically increased RBP4 by forced Rbp4 expression in the liver does not impair glucose homeostasis in mice. Here, we investigated the effects of an acute mobilization of hepatic vitamin A stores by hepatic overexpression of RBP4 in mice. We show that hepatic retinol mobilization decreases body fat content and enhances fat turnover. Mechanistically, we found that acute retinol mobilization increases hepatic expression and serum levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), which is regulated by retinol mobilization and retinoic acid in primary hepatocytes. Moreover, we provide evidence that the insulin-sensitizing effect of FGF21 is associated with organ-specific adaptations in retinoid homeostasis. Taken together, our findings identify a novel crosstalk between retinoid homeostasis and FGF21 in mice with acute RBP4-mediated retinol mobilization from the liver.

Biochemical analysis of novel NAA10 variants suggests distinct pathogenic mechanisms involving impaired protein N-terminal acetylation.

NAA10 is the catalytic subunit of the N-terminal acetyltransferase complex, NatA, which is responsible for N-terminal acetylation of nearly half the human proteome. Since 2011, at least 21 different NAA10 missense variants have been reported as pathogenic in humans. The clinical features associated with this X-linked condition vary, but commonly described features include developmental delay, intellectual disability, cardiac anomalies, brain abnormalities, facial dysmorphism and/or visual impairment. Here, we present eight individuals from five families with five different de novo or inherited NAA10 variants. In order to determine their pathogenicity, we have performed biochemical characterisation of the four novel variants c.16G>C p.(A6P), c.235C>T p.(R79C), c.386A>C p.(Q129P) and c.469G>A p.(E157K). Additionally, we clinically describe one new case with a previously identified pathogenic variant, c.384T>G p.(F128L). Our study provides important insight into how different NAA10 missense variants impact distinct biochemical functions of NAA10 involving the ability of NAA10 to perform N-terminal acetylation. These investigations may partially explain the phenotypic variability in affected individuals and emphasise the complexity of the cellular pathways downstream of NAA10.