RESUMEN
Genotoxic carcinogens pose great hazard to human health. Uncertainty of current risk assessment strategies and long latency periods between first carcinogen exposure and diagnosis of tumors have raised interest in predictive biomarkers. Initial DNA adduct formation is a necessary step for genotoxin induced carcinogenesis. However, as DNA adducts not always translate into tumorigenesis, their predictive value is limited. Here we hypothesize that the combined analysis of pro-mutagenic DNA adducts along with time-matched gene expression changes could serve as a superior prediction tool for genotoxic carcinogenesis. Eker rats, heterozygous for the tuberous sclerosis (Tsc2) tumor suppressor gene and thus highly susceptible towards genotoxic renal carcinogens, were continuously treated with the DNA alkylating carcinogen methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAMAc). Two weeks of MAMAc treatment resulted in a time-dependent increase of O6-methylguanine and N7-methylguanine adducts in the kidney cortex, which was however not reflected by significant expression changes of cyto-protective genes involved in DNA repair, cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. Instead, we found a transcriptional regulation of genes involved in the tumor-related MAPK, FoxO and TGF-beta pathways. Continuous MAMAc treatment for up to 6 months resulted in a mild but significant increase of cancerous lesions. In summary, the combined analysis of DNA adducts and early gene expression changes could serve as a suitable predictive tool for genotoxicant-induced carcinogenesis.
Asunto(s)
Aductos de ADN/análisis , Riñón/efectos de los fármacos , Acetato de Metilazoximetanol/toxicidad , Animales , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Transformación Celular Neoplásica/efectos de los fármacos , Transformación Celular Neoplásica/patología , Daño del ADN/efectos de los fármacos , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a Droga , Femenino , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Guanina/análogos & derivados , Guanina/metabolismo , Riñón/metabolismo , Riñón/patología , Masculino , Acetato de Metilazoximetanol/administración & dosificación , Ratas Mutantes , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Technological advances have brought a steady increase in the availability of various types of omics data, from genomics to metabolomics. Integrating these multi-omics data is a chance and challenge for systems biology; yet, tools to fully tap their potential remain scarce. METHODS: We present here a fully unsupervised and versatile correlation-based method - termed Correlation guided Network Integration (CoNI) - to integrate multi-omics data into a hypergraph structure that allows for the identification of effective modulators of metabolism. Our approach yields single transcripts of potential relevance that map to specific, densely connected, metabolic subgraphs or pathways. RESULTS: By applying our method on transcriptomics and metabolomics data from murine livers under standard Chow or high-fat diet, we identified eleven genes with potential regulatory effects on hepatic metabolism. Five candidates, including the hepatokine INHBE, were validated in human liver biopsies to correlate with diabetes-related traits such as overweight, hepatic fat content, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). CONCLUSION: Our method's successful application to an independent omics dataset confirmed that the novel CoNI framework is a transferable, entirely data-driven, flexible, and versatile tool for multiple omics data integration and interpretation.
Asunto(s)
Redes de Comunicación de Computadores , Hígado/metabolismo , Animales , Masculino , Metabolómica , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BLRESUMEN
Heterogeneous populations of hypothalamic neurons orchestrate energy balance via the release of specific signatures of neuropeptides. However, how specific intracellular machinery controls peptidergic identities and function of individual hypothalamic neurons remains largely unknown. The transcription factor T-box 3 (Tbx3) is expressed in hypothalamic neurons sensing and governing energy status, whereas human TBX3 haploinsufficiency has been linked with obesity. Here, we demonstrate that loss of Tbx3 function in hypothalamic neurons causes weight gain and other metabolic disturbances by disrupting both the peptidergic identity and plasticity of Pomc/Cart and Agrp/Npy neurons. These alterations are observed after loss of Tbx3 in both immature hypothalamic neurons and terminally differentiated mouse neurons. We further establish the importance of Tbx3 for body weight regulation in Drosophila melanogaster and show that TBX3 is implicated in the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into hypothalamic Pomc neurons. Our data indicate that Tbx3 directs the terminal specification of neurons as functional components of the melanocortin system and is required for maintaining their peptidergic identity. In summary, we report the discovery of a key mechanistic process underlying the functional heterogeneity of hypothalamic neurons governing body weight and systemic metabolism.
Asunto(s)
Hipotálamo/metabolismo , Melanocortinas/metabolismo , Neuronas/metabolismo , Proteínas de Dominio T Box/metabolismo , Proteína Relacionada con Agouti/genética , Proteína Relacionada con Agouti/metabolismo , Animales , Peso Corporal , Metabolismo Energético , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica , Proteínas Fluorescentes Verdes/genética , Hipotálamo/citología , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Proopiomelanocortina/genética , ARN Mensajero/genética , Proteínas de Dominio T Box/genéticaRESUMEN
Elevated levels of oxidative stress and neuronal inflammation in the hypothalamus or ventral midbrain, respectively, represent common denominators for obesity and Parkinson's Disease (PD). However, little is known about defense mechanisms that protect neurons in these regions from oxidative damage. Here, we aimed to assess whether murine Gpx4, a crucial antioxidant enzyme that protects neurons from membrane damage and ferroptosis, is critical for the protection from neuronal inflammation in two distinct pathophysiologic diseases, namely metabolic dysfunction in diet-induced obesity or PD. Gpx4 was deleted from either AgRP or POMC neurons in the hypothalamus, essential for metabolic homeostasis, or from dopaminergic neurons in the ventral midbrain, governing behaviors such as anxiety or voluntary movement. To induce a pro-inflammatory environment, AgRP and POMC neuron-specific Gpx4 knockout mice were subjected to high-fat high-sucrose (HFHS) diet. To exacerbate oxidative stress in dopaminergic neurons of the ventral midbrain, we systemically co-deleted the PD-related gene DJ-1. Gpx4 was dispensable for the maintenance of cellular health and function of POMC neurons, even in mice exposed to obesogenic conditions. In contrast, HFHS-fed mice with Gpx4 deletion from AgRP neurons displayed increased body adiposity. Gpx4 expression and activity were diminished in the hypothalamus of HFHS-fed mice compared to standard diet-fed controls. Gpx4 deletion from dopaminergic neurons induced anxiety behavior, and diminished spontaneous locomotor activity when DJ-1 was co-deleted. Overall, these data suggest a physiological role for Gpx4 in balancing metabolic control signals and inflammation in AgRP but not POMC neurons. Moreover, Gpx4 appears to constitute an important rheostat against neuronal dysfunction and PD-like symptoms in dopaminergic circuitry within the ventral midbrain.