Impaired cell fate through gain-of-function mutations in a chromatin reader.

Modifications of histone proteins have essential roles in normal development and human disease. Recognition of modified histones by 'reader' proteins is a key mechanism that mediates the function of histone modifications, but how the dysregulation of these readers might contribute to disease remains poorly understood. We previously identified the ENL protein as a reader of histone acetylation via its YEATS domain, linking it to the expression of cancer-driving genes in acute leukaemia1. Recurrent hotspot mutations have been found in the ENL YEATS domain in Wilms tumour2,3, the most common type of paediatric kidney cancer. Here we show, using human and mouse cells, that these mutations impair cell-fate regulation by conferring gain-of-function in chromatin recruitment and transcriptional control. ENL mutants induce gene-expression changes that favour a premalignant cell fate, and, in an assay for nephrogenesis using murine cells, result in undifferentiated structures resembling those observed in human Wilms tumour. Mechanistically, although bound to largely similar genomic loci as the wild-type protein, ENL mutants exhibit increased occupancy at a subset of targets, leading to a marked increase in the recruitment and activity of transcription elongation machinery that enforces active transcription from target loci. Furthermore, ectopically expressed ENL mutants exhibit greater self-association and form discrete and dynamic nuclear puncta that are characteristic of biomolecular hubs consisting of local high concentrations of regulatory factors. Such mutation-driven ENL self-association is functionally linked to enhanced chromatin occupancy and gene activation. Collectively, our findings show that hotspot mutations in a chromatin-reader domain drive self-reinforced recruitment, derailing normal cell-fate control during development and leading to an oncogenic outcome.

Evidence of long-lasting anti-CD19 activity of engrafted CD19 chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells in a phase I study targeting pediatrics with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Ninety percent of relapse/refractory B-cell acute lymphatic leukemia (R/R B-ALL) patients can achieve complete remission (CR) after CD19-targeting chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy. However, around 50% of them relapse in 1 year. Persistent CAR-T cell engraftment is considered as the key to remain durable remission. Here, we initiated a phase I study to treat 10 pediatric B-ALL patients using a CD19-targeted second generation CAR with a 4-1BB intracellular costimulatory domain. All patients received a standard fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) preconditioning regiment, followed by a CAR-T infusion with a median number of 0.5 (0.3-1.58) × 106 CAR+ T cells/kg. The pretreatment tumor burdens were high with a median bone marrow (BM) blasts percentage of 59.2% (7.31%-86.2%), excluding one patient only with brain infiltration of leukemia cells (0% BM blasts). The initial CR rate was 80% (n = 8/10). Four patients (40%) experienced serious (grade > 2) cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and three patients (30%) with obvious neurotoxicity. Monthly assessments of CD19+ minimal residual disease (MRD) and CAR-T engraftment demonstrated the anti-CD19 activity of long-term engrafted CAR-T cell clones in one patient for more than 2 years.

Breaking law of overburden rock and key mining technology for narrow coal pillar working face in isolated island.

When conducting retreat mining in segmented coal pillars, the dynamic evolution of stress and overlying strata structure is more complex than conventional working faces due to the influence of adjacent working faces. Understanding and mastering the dynamic evolution patterns of overlying strata structure after retreat mining in segmented coal pillar working faces is essential for guiding the safe recovery of coal pillar resources under similar conditions. Through statistical analysis of the types of residual coal and the mining techniques, the current research status of residual coal mining system in China has been summarized. Based on the safety recovery technology system for multi-type residual coal pillar resources at Zhaogu No.2 Mine, this paper focuses on narrow coal pillar working faces in sections with fully mined-out areas on both sides. By using research methods such as on-site measurement, theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and engineering experiments, starting from the stress state analysis and evolution law of coal seam mining, the dynamic evolution law of the overlying rock structure of sectional coal pillars has been mastered. On this basis, a stress arch mechanical model of the mining area is constructed, and the working resistance of the support is calculated and determined, ensuring the safe recovery of the working face. The research results show that before the backfilling of the sectional coal pillar working face, the working face is affected by the overlapping mining of the goaf on both sides, presenting a "bimodal" stress distribution pattern, with a stress concentration coefficient between 1.78 and 3.2. After the extraction of segmented coal pillars, stress arches consisting of high-stress zones form along both the strike and dip of the working face. The structural support provided by stress arches undergoes a dynamic evolution process of "formation-development-elevation-stabilization" as the working face advances. Following the instability and rupture of the lower basic roof hinge structure, the stress-bearing structure shifts to the higher basic roof, continuing to provide support for the surrounding rock stress in the mining space of the working face. A stress arch mechanical model for the dip and strike of the mining area is constructed , and the shape characteristics of the overlying rock stress arch in the coal pillar working face is mastered. Based on the stress distribution law and stress arch evolution characteristics of the surrounding rock of the coal pillar working face, the maximum working resistance of the support in the working face is theoretically calculated to be 9153.48kN. Compared with the measured mine pressure data, the selected support effectively ensures the safety production of the working face.

Research on overburden structural characteristics and support adaptability in cooperative mining of sectional coal pillar and bottom coal seam.

In the mining process of the II1 coal seam at Zhaogu No. 2 coal mine, a method of stratified mining is employed, leaving relatively wide coal pillars in sections. To enhance the resource recovery rate, the mine carries out the cooperative mining of the sectional coal pillars and the lower layer coal seam. The 14,022 cooperative working face of fully-mechanized and fully-mechanized top-coal caving at Zhaogu No. 2 coal mine is taken as the research object. Through numerical simulation, theoretical calculations, and on-site industrial trials, a comprehensive analysis of the overburden structural characteristics and the support adaptability at the working face is conducted. It is clarified that a stress arch bearing structure can be formed above the sectional coal pillars during cooperative mining, and this structure is controlled by key strata. The formation of a stress arch bearing structure in the overburden above the sectional coal pillars provides protection for the underlying mining area. A formula for calculating the working resistance of hydraulic supports under the stress arch in sectional coal pillar is derived. Based on these results, the working resistance of hydraulic supports in the coal pillar area is calculated and selected. Field application shows that the working resistance of the support is 10,000 kN in the fully-mechanized top-coal caving working face, and is 9000 kN in fully-mechanized working face, meeting the support requirements and ensuring safe mining at the working face. This study provides a valuable engineering reference for achieving cooperative mining of abandoned sectional coal pillars and lower layer coal seam in stratified mining method.

Hotspot Cancer Mutation Impairs KAT8-mediated Nucleosomal Histone Acetylation.

KAT8 is an evolutionarily conserved lysine acetyltransferase that catalyzes histone acetylation at H4K16 or H4K5 and H4K8 through distinct protein complexes. It plays a pivotal role in male X chromosome dosage compensation in Drosophila and is implicated in the regulation of diverse cellular processes in mammals. Mutations and dysregulation of KAT8 have been reported in human neurodevelopmental disorders and various cancers. However, the precise mechanisms by which these mutations disrupt KAT8's normal function, leading to disease pathogenesis, remain largely unknown. In this study, we focus on a hotspot missense cancer mutation, the R98W point mutation within the Tudor-knot domain. Our study reveals that the R98W mutation leads to a reduction in global H4K16ac levels in cells and downregulates the expression of target genes. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that R98 is essential for KAT8-mediated acetylation of nucleosomal histones by modulating substrate accessibility.

The Tudor-knot Domain of KAT5 Regulates Nucleosomal Substrate Acetylation.

The lysine acetyltransferase KAT5 is a pivotal enzyme responsible for catalyzing histone H4 acetylation in cells. In addition to its indispensable HAT domain, KAT5 also encompasses a conserved Tudor-knot domain at its N-terminus. However, the function of this domain remains elusive, with conflicting findings regarding its role as a histone reader. In our study, we have employed a CRISPR tiling array approach and unveiled the Tudor-knot motif as an essential domain for cell survival. The Tudor-knot domain does not bind to histone tails and is not required for KAT5's chromatin occupancy. However, its absence leads to a global reduction in histone acetylation, accompanied with genome-wide alterations in gene expression that consequently result in diminished cell viability. Mechanistically, we find that the Tudor-knot domain regulates KAT5's HAT activity on nucleosomes by fine-tuning substrate accessibility. In summary, our study uncovers the Tudor-knot motif as an essential domain for cell survival and reveals its critical role in modulating KAT5's catalytic efficiency on nucleosome and KAT5-dependent transcriptional programs critical for cell viability.

Aging under endocrine hormone regulation.

Aging is a biological process in which the environment interacts with the body to cause a progressive decline in effective physiological function. Aging in the human body can lead to a dysfunction of the vital organ systems, resulting in the onset of age-related diseases, such as neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, which can seriously affect an individual's quality of life. The endocrine system acts on specific targets through hormones and related major functional factors in its pathways, which play biological roles in coordinating cellular interactions, metabolism, growth, and aging. Aging is the result of a combination of many pathological, physiological, and psychological processes, among which the endocrine system can achieve a bidirectional effect on the aging process by regulating the hormone levels in the body. In this paper, we explored the mechanisms of growth hormone, thyroid hormone, and estrogen in the aging process to provide a reference for the exploration of endocrine mechanisms related to aging.

The Corrosion Resistance of Reinforced Lightweight Aggregate Concrete in Strong Brine Environments.

Taiwan has used technology in reservoir sediments and industrial waste to produce high-performance lightweight aggregate (LWA). LWA can be used to manufacture lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) with structural strength ratings. At present, Taiwan's offshore wind turbines are gradually developing and are moving from coastal areas to deep-sea areas. With this in mind, this study aimed to investigate the feasibility of applying LWAC with synthetic LWA from reservoir sediments to floating offshore wind turbine foundations. LWAC and normal-weight concretes (NWC) of different strengths were prepared, and their fresh, hardened, and durability properties were tested. In addition, reinforced concrete and steel sheets were immersed in a tank of high salinity seawater to examine their resistance to seawater-accelerated corrosion. The test results showed that the total passing charge of the two groups of concrete within six hours was less than 1000 coulombs. Both groups of concrete were classified as having "Very Low" chloride permeability. The average corrosion potential of most reinforced concrete specimens was found to be greater than -200 mV, which means that the corrosion probability of the steel bars was less than 10%. Furthermore, the use of coatings for seawater corrosion protection on steel sheets was not found to be as effective as reinforced concrete. This shows that the use of LWAC with synthetic LWA from reservoir sediments for the floating foundations of offshore wind turbines is feasible and has design flexibility.

The role of the PZP domain of AF10 in acute leukemia driven by AF10 translocations.

Chromosomal translocations of the AF10 (or MLLT10) gene are frequently found in acute leukemias. Here, we show that the PZP domain of AF10 (AF10PZP), which is consistently impaired or deleted in leukemogenic AF10 translocations, plays a critical role in blocking malignant transformation. Incorporation of functional AF10PZP into the leukemogenic CALM-AF10 fusion prevents the transforming activity of the fusion in bone marrow-derived hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in vitro and in vivo and abrogates CALM-AF10-mediated leukemogenesis in vivo. Crystallographic, biochemical and mutagenesis studies reveal that AF10PZP binds to the nucleosome core particle through multivalent contacts with the histone H3 tail and DNA and associates with chromatin in cells, colocalizing with active methylation marks and discriminating against the repressive H3K27me3 mark. AF10PZP promotes nuclear localization of CALM-AF10 and is required for association with chromatin. Our data indicate that the disruption of AF10PZP function in the CALM-AF10 fusion directly leads to transformation, whereas the inclusion of AF10PZP downregulates Hoxa genes and reverses cellular transformation. Our findings highlight the molecular mechanism by which AF10 targets chromatin and suggest a model for the AF10PZP-dependent CALM-AF10-mediated leukemogenesis.

CDGSH Iron Sulfur Domain 2 Deficiency Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Induces Cell Differentiation of Neuroblastoma.

CDGSH iron sulfur domain 2 (CISD2) is reported to be highly expressed in several cancers, but the role of it in neuroblastoma has not been identified yet. Here, for the first time, we show that CISD2 is involved in neuroblastoma tumorigenesis and regulates neuroblastoma cell proliferation and differentiation. We found that high CISD2 expression correlated significantly with poor outcome of neuroblastoma patients, as well as advanced neuroblastoma tumor stages. Knockdown of CISD2 greatly repressed neuroblastoma cell proliferation and tumorigenesis both in vitro and in vivo. Further investigation showed that CISD2 deficiency resulted in cell cycle arrest in G1 phase and induced cell differentiation of neuroblastoma. Several Cyclins and Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (CDKs) were down-regulated by CISD2 knockdown, indicating that CISD2 probably regulates cell cycle through those genes. Together, we provide evidence that CISD2 is an indicator for neuroblastoma patients prognosis and is indispensable for neuroblastoma cell proliferation and tumorigenesis; CISD2 deficiency can induce neuroblastoma cell cycle arrest and differentiation. These findings suggest that CISD2 could work as a novel and potential therapeutic target for neuroblastoma treatment.

MINA53 deficiency leads to glioblastoma cell apoptosis via inducing DNA replication stress and diminishing DNA damage response.

MYC-induced nuclear antigen (MINA53) is a JmjC (jumonji C domain)-containing protein, which is highly expressed in many cancers including glioblastoma. We have revealed in our previous report that MINA53 is a poor prognostic indicator for glioblastoma patients, and knockdown of MINA53 could reduce glioblastoma malignancy. In this study, we found that MINA53 knockdown could decrease the DNA replication initiation in glioblastoma cells. Through further investigations, we revealed that MINA53 could regulate the expression of the CDC45-MCM-GINS (CMG) complex genes, which are vital for DNA replication initiation. Knockdown of MINA53 reduced the CMG genes expression and thus induced DNA replication stress and DNA damage. Furthermore, MINA53 knockdown diminished DNA damage response (DDR) by reducing the ATM/ATR-H2AX pathway activity and finally led glioblastoma cells to apoptosis and death. We further applied a genotoxic drug Doxorubicin and found that MINA53 deficiency sensitized glioblastoma cells to Doxorubicin. Our study reveals that MINA53 is involved in DNA replication initiation and DNA damage response, and provides support for MINA53 as a novel and potential therapeutic target for glioblastoma treatment.

Homeobox C9 suppresses Beclin1-mediated autophagy in glioblastoma by directly inhibiting the transcription of death-associated protein kinase 1.

BACKGROUND: The transcription factor homeobox C9 (HOXC9) plays a crucial role in developmental regulatory systems, where it determines the specific positional identities of cells along the anteroposterior axis. The expression of HOXC9 has been found to be dysregulated in some cancers such as lung cancer, breast cancer, and neuroblastoma. Here, we report for the first time that HOXC9 is a novel autophagy regulator and reveal its oncogenic role in cell survival and its usefulness as a prognostic marker in glioblastoma patients. METHODS: Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to evaluate the possible prognostic value of HOXC9 in glioblastoma. Growth curve assays, subcutaneous, and orthotopic implantations were used to analyze cell viability and tumor formation, respectively. Luciferase and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were employed to explore the mechanisms involved in the association between HOXC9 and its downstream effector, death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1). RESULTS: High expression of HOXC9 was found to be an indicator of a poor prognosis in glioblastoma. HOXC9 knockdown resulted in a significant reduction of cell viability, migration, invasion, and tumorigenicity and a marked increase in autophagy. During the autophagy process, HOXC9 inhibited DAPK1 transcription by directly binding to its promoter. The downregulation of HOXC9 releases its transcriptional inhibition of DAPK1, resulting in the activation of the DAPK1-Beclin1 pathway, which induces autophagy in glioblastoma cells. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our data indicate that HOXC9 is an oncogene in glioblastoma. We have revealed its role in the control of autophagy, and we suggest that HOXC9 is a novel and promising therapeutic target.

PHOX2B Is Associated with Neuroblastoma Cell Differentiation.

Neuroblastoma is a common pediatric malignancy that accounts for ∼15% of tumor-related deaths in children. The tumor is generally believed to originate from neural crest cells during early sympathetic neurogenesis. As the degree of neuroblastoma differentiation has been correlated with clinical outcome, clarifying the molecular mechanisms that drive neuroblastoma progression and differentiation is important for increasing the survival of these patients. In a previous study, the authors identified paired-like homeobox 2b (PHOX2B) as a key mediator of neuroblastoma pathogenesis in a TH-MYCN mouse model. In the present study, they aimed to define whether PHOX2B is also associated with proliferation and differentiation of human neuroblastoma cells. PHOX2B expression in neuroblastoma cells was evaluated by immunoblot analyses, and the effects of PHOX2B on the proliferation of neuroblastoma cells in vitro were determined using clonogenic and sphere formation assays. Xenograft experiments in NOD/SCID mice were used to examine the in vivo response to PHOX2B knockdown. Their data demonstrated that PHOX2B acts as a prognostic marker in neuroblastoma and that retinoic acid-induced neuronal differentiation downregulates PHOX2B expression, thereby suppressing the self-renewal capacity of neuroblastoma cells and inhibiting tumorigenicity. These findings confirmed that PHOX2B is a key regulator of neuroblastoma differentiation and stemness maintenance and indicated that PHOX2B might serve as a potential therapeutic target in neuroblastoma patients.

Correction: RKIP regulates CCL5 expression to inhibit breast cancer invasion and metastasis by controlling macrophage infiltration.

Present: Due to an error made by the authors while submitting a revision, Dr. Tuan Zea Tan was omitted from the list of authors.Corrected: Correct author list can be found below. Authors sincerely apologize for this oversight. Ila Datar1, Xiaoliang Qiu1, Hong Zhi Ma1, Miranda Yeung1, Shweta Aras1, Ivana de la Serna1, Fahd Al-Mulla2, Tuan Zea Tan3, Jean Paul Thiery3, Robert Trumbly1, Xuan Fan4, Hongjuan Cui4 and Kam C. Yeung1 1 Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, University of Toledo, College of Medicine, Health Science Campus, Toledo, OH, USA 2 Kuwait University, Faculty of Medicine. P.O. Box 24923, Safat, Kuwait 3 Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 4 State Key Laboratory Of Silkworm Genome Biology, Chongqing, China Original article: Oncotarget. 2015; 6(36): 39050-61. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.5176.

Transcriptional co-activator TAZ sustains proliferation and tumorigenicity of neuroblastoma by targeting CTGF and PDGF-ß.

Neuroblastoma is a common childhood malignant tumor originated from the neural crest-derived sympathetic nervous system. A crucial event in the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma is to promote proliferation of neuroblasts, which is closely related to poor survival. However, mechanisms for regulation of cell proliferation and tumorigenicity in neuroblastoma are not well understood. Here, we report that overexpression of TAZ in neuroblastoma BE(2)-C cells causes increases in cell proliferation, self renewal and colony formation, which was restored back to its original levels by knockdown of TAZ in TAZ-overexpression cells. Inhibition of endogenous TAZ attenuated cell proliferation, colony formation and tumor development in neuroblastoma SK-N-AS cell, which could be rescued by re-introduction of TAZ into TAZ-knockdown cells. In addition, we found that overexpressing TAZ-mediated induction of CTGF and PDGF-ß expression, cell proliferation and colony formation were inhibited by knocking down CTGF and PDGF-ß with siRNA in TAZ-overexpressing cell. Overall, our findings suggested that TAZ plays an essential role in regulating cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in neuroblastoma cells. Thus, TAZ seems to be a novel and promising target for the treatment of neuroblastoma.

A novel granulocyte-specific α integrin is essential for cellular immunity in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

Haemocytes play crucial roles in immune responses and survival in insects. Specific cell markers have proven effective in clarifying the function and haematopoiesis of haemocytes. The silkworm Bombyx mori is a good model for studying insect haemocytes; however, little is known about haemocyte-specific markers or their functions in silkworm. In this study, we identified the α subunit of integrin, BmintegrinαPS3, as being specifically and highly expressed in silkworm haemocytes. Immunofluorescence analysis validated the specificity of BmintegrinαPS3 in larval granulocytes. Further analyses indicated that haemocytes dispersed from haematopoietic organs (HPOs) into the circulating haemolymph could differentiate into granulocytes. In addition, the processes of encapsulation and phagocytosis were controlled by larval granulocytes. Our work demonstrated that BmintegrinαPS3 could be used as a specific marker for granulocytes and could be applied to future molecular cell biology studies.