WWC proteins mediate LATS1/2 activation by Hippo kinases and imply a tumor suppression strategy.

YAP and TAZ (YAP/TAZ), two major effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway, are frequently activated in human cancers. The activity of YAP/TAZ is strictly repressed upon phosphorylation by LATS1/2 tumor suppressors. However, it is unclear how LATS1/2 are precisely regulated by upstream factors such as Hippo kinases MST1/2. Here, we show that WWC proteins (WWC1/2/3) directly interact with LATS1/2 and SAV1, and SAV1, in turn, brings in MST1/2 to phosphorylate and activate LATS1/2. Hence, WWC1/2/3 play an organizer role in a signaling module that mediates LATS1/2 activation by MST1/2. Moreover, we have defined a minimum protein interaction interface on WWC1/2/3 that is sufficient to activate LATS1/2 in a robust and specific manner. The corresponding minigene, dubbed as SuperHippo, can effectively suppress tumorigenesis in multiple tumor models. Our study has uncovered a molecular mechanism underlying LATS1/2 regulation and provides a strategy for treating diverse malignancies related to Hippo pathway dysregulation.

Two Hippo signaling modules orchestrate liver size and tumorigenesis.

The Hippo pathway is a central regulator of organ size and tumorigenesis and is commonly depicted as a kinase cascade, with an increasing number of regulatory and adaptor proteins linked to its regulation over recent years. Here, we propose that two Hippo signaling modules, MST1/2-SAV1-WWC1-3 (HPO1) and MAP4K1-7-NF2 (HPO2), together regulate the activity of LATS1/2 kinases and YAP/TAZ transcriptional co-activators. In mouse livers, the genetic inactivation of either HPO1 or HPO2 module results in partial activation of YAP/TAZ, bile duct hyperplasia, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). On the contrary, inactivation of both HPO1 and HPO2 modules results in full activation of YAP/TAZ, rapid development of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), and early lethality. Interestingly, HPO1 has a predominant role in regulating organ size. HPO1 inactivation causes a homogenous YAP/TAZ activation and cell proliferation across the whole liver, resulting in a proportional and rapid increase in liver size. Thus, this study has reconstructed the order of the Hippo signaling network and suggests that LATS1/2 and YAP/TAZ activities are finetuned by HPO1 and HPO2 modules to cause different cell fates, organ size changes, and tumorigenesis trajectories.

Proteolytic activation of angiomotin by DDI2 promotes angiogenesis.

The scaffolding protein angiomotin (AMOT) is indispensable for vertebrate embryonic angiogenesis. Here, we report that AMOT undergoes cleavage in the presence of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a lipid growth factor also involved in angiogenesis. AMOT cleavage is mediated by aspartic protease DNA damage-inducible 1 homolog 2 (DDI2), and the process is tightly regulated by a signaling axis including neurofibromin 2 (NF2), tankyrase 1/2 (TNKS1/2), and RING finger protein 146 (RNF146), which induce AMOT membrane localization, poly ADP ribosylation, and ubiquitination, respectively. In both zebrafish and mice, the genetic inactivation of AMOT cleavage regulators leads to defective angiogenesis, and the phenotype is rescued by the overexpression of AMOT-CT, a C-terminal AMOT cleavage product. In either physiological or pathological angiogenesis, AMOT-CT is required for vascular expansion, whereas uncleavable AMOT represses this process. Thus, our work uncovers a signaling pathway that regulates angiogenesis by modulating a cleavage-dependent activation of AMOT.

Inhibition of lncRNA MAAT Controls Multiple Types of Muscle Atrophy by cis- and trans-Regulatory Actions.

Muscle atrophy is associated with negative outcomes in a variety of diseases. Identification of a common therapeutic target would address a significant unmet clinical need. Here, we identify a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) (muscle-atrophy-associated transcript, lncMAAT) as a common regulator of skeletal muscle atrophy. lncMAAT is downregulated in multiple types of muscle-atrophy models both in vivo (denervation, Angiotensin II [AngII], fasting, immobilization, and aging-induced muscle atrophy) and in vitro (AngII, H2O2, and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]-induced muscle atrophy). Gain- and loss-of-function analysis both in vitro and in vivo reveals that downregulation of lncMAAT is sufficient to induce muscle atrophy, while overexpression of lncMAAT can ameliorate multiple types of muscle atrophy. Mechanistically, lncMAAT negatively regulates the transcription of miR-29b through SOX6 by a trans-regulatory module and increases the expression of the neighboring gene Mbnl1 by a cis-regulatory module. Therefore, overexpression of lncMAAT may represent a promising therapy for muscle atrophy induced by different stimuli.

High-Performance Supercapacitive Pressure Sensors via Height-Grading Micro-Domes of Ionic Conductive Elastomer.

Soft capacitive sensors present numerous appealing characteristics, including simple structure, low power consumption, and fast response. However, they often suffer from low sensitivity and a limited linear sensing range. Herein, a concept is presented to enhance the sensitivity and linearity of supercapacitive pressure sensors by functionally grading the heights of macrodomes constructed from a highly elastic and ionic conductive elastomer made of poly(vinyl alcohol) and phosphoric acid (PVA/H3PO4). The resultant supercapacitive sensors exhibit a high sensitivity (423.42 kPa-1), wide linear sensing range (0-400 kPa), ultralow limit of detection (0.48 Pa), and high durability (stable signal outputs up to 5000 cycles of loading/unloading). Additionally, the sensors can maintain consistent sensing performance within a temperature range of 25-40 °C. The potential of the sensor in health monitoring is demonstrated through ultrahigh-resolution weight measurement, pulse detection, and respiration monitoring.

WWC1/2 regulate spinogenesis and cognition in mice by stabilizing AMOT.

WWC1 regulates episodic learning and memory, and genetic nucleotide polymorphism of WWC1 is associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. However, the molecular mechanism through which WWC1 regulates neuronal function has not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that WWC1 and its paralogs (WWC2/3) bind directly to angiomotin (AMOT) family proteins (Motins), and recruit USP9X to deubiquitinate and stabilize Motins. Deletion of WWC genes in different cell types leads to reduced protein levels of Motins. In mice, neuron-specific deletion of Wwc1 and Wwc2 results in reduced expression of Motins and lower density of dendritic spines in the cortex and hippocampus, in association with impaired cognitive functions such as memory and learning. Interestingly, ectopic expression of AMOT partially rescues the neuronal phenotypes associated with Wwc1/2 deletion. Thus, WWC proteins modulate spinogenesis and cognition, at least in part, by regulating the protein stability of Motins.

Interventions for preventing infection in nephrotic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Infection is one of the most common complications and still remains a significant cause of morbidity and occasionally mortality in patients, especially children with nephrotic syndrome. Many different prophylactic interventions have been used or recommended for reducing the risks of infection in nephrotic syndrome in clinical practice. Whether the existing evidence is scientifically rigorous and which prophylactic intervention can be recommended for routine use based on the current evidence is still unknown. OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefits and harms of any prophylactic intervention for reducing the risk of infection in children and adults with nephrotic syndrome. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Renal Group's specialised register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (in The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE and Pre-MEDLINE (from 1966), EMBASE (from 1980), China Biological Medicine Database (1979 to December 2009), Chinese Science and Technique Journals Database (to December 2009), China National Infrastructure (to December 2009), WangFang database (to December 2009), reference lists of nephrology textbooks, review articles, relevant studies and abstracts from nephrology meetings without language restriction.Date of last search: 6 February 2012 SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs comparing any prophylactic interventions (pharmacological or non-pharmacological) for preventing any infection in children and adults with nephrotic syndrome. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors independently assessed and extracted information. Information was collected on methods, participants, interventions and outcomes (appearance of infection, mortality, quality of life and adverse events). Results were expressed as risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous outcomes or as mean differences (MD) for continuous data with 95% confidence intervals (CI). MAIN RESULTS: Twelve studies conducted in China, including 762 children with nephrotic syndrome were identified. No studies were identified in adults. All studies compared one kind of prophylactic pharmacotherapy (intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), thymosin, oral transfer factor, mannan peptide tablet, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine injection, polyvalent bacterial vaccine (Lantigen B) and two kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs: a compound of Chinese medicinal herbs (TIAOJINING) and Huangqi (astragalus) granules) plus baseline treatment with baseline treatment alone. No RCTs were identified comparing antibiotics, non-pharmacological prophylaxis, or pneumococcal vaccination. Four studies showed a significantly beneficial effect of IVIG on preventing nosocomial or unspecified infection in children with nephrotic syndrome (RR 0.47, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.73). Thymosin (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.97), oral transfer factor (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.73), BCG vaccine injection (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.95), Huangqi granules (RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.83) and TIAOJINING (RR 0.59, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.81) were also effective in reducing the risk of infection in children with nephrotic syndrome. However mannan peptide tablet (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.21 to 1.01) and polyvalent bacterial vaccine (RR 0.24, 95% CI 0.06 to1.00) were not superior to baseline treatment in reducing the risk of infection for nephrotic children. No serious adverse events were reported. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: IVIG, thymosin, oral transfer factor, BCG vaccine, Huangqi granules and TIAOJINING may have positive effects on the prevention of nosocomial or unspecified infection with no obvious serious adverse events in children with nephrotic syndrome. However the methodological quality of all studies was poor, the sample sizes small, and all studies were from China, and thus there is no strong evidence on the effectiveness of these interventions.

[Blood pressure variation of hypertensive diabetic nephropathy patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the variance of blood pressure of hypertensive diabetic patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). METHODS: Twenty hypertensive CAPD patients older than 40 years with diabetic nephropathy (DN-PD group) and twenty patients with chronic glomerular nephritis (CGN-PD group) were recruited. Peritoneal status and dialysis adequacy of the patients in the two groups were calculated using PD Adequest. All patients were given 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Parameters of blood pressure variation were calculated and compared between the two groups, which included 24 h systolic and diastolic blood pressure variability (24 h SBPV/DBPV) and coefficient of variation (24 h SBPCV/24 h DBPCV), daytime systolic anid diastolic blood pressure variability (dSBPV/ DBPV) and coefficient of variation (dSBPCV/dDBPCV), and night time systolic and diastolic blood pressure variability (nSBPV/ DBPV) and coefficient of variation (nSBPCV/nDBPCV). RESULTS: No significant differences in clinical characteristics were found between the two groups of patients except for fast glucose. No significant differences in average systolic and diastolic blood pressures, average piulse pressure and mean 24 h, daytime, and nighttime arterial pressures were found between the two groups. However, the DN-PD group had significantly higher 24 h SBPV, 24 h SBPCV, dSBPV and dSBPCV than the CGN-PD group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Hypertensive diabetic nephropathy patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis have greater blood pressure variance than those with hypertensive chronic glomerular nephritis, despite a similar result of blood pressure control.

[A comparison of clinical characteristics and survival between diabetic nephropathy patients and non-diabetic nephropathy patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate clinical characteristics and survival of diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease on peritoneal dialysis (PD). METHODS: The clinical data were collected from the patients who initiated PD in our PD Center from Jan, 2009 through Aug, 2011. The patients were divided into diabetic group and non-diabetic group, the survival of patients and risk factors of death were analyzed and compared between the two groups by using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: There were 460 PD patients included in this study, 64 (13.9%) of them were diabetic and 396 (86.1%) were non-diabetic. Compared with non-diabetic PD patients, the PD patients with diabetes were older [(63 +/- 13) yr. versus (45 +/- 16) yr. , P < 0.001], while had higher level of high sensitive C reaction protein (hsCRP), lower levels of serum albumin and prealbumin, as well as lower levels of triglyceride and nPCR. There was no statistical difference in serum concentrations of hemoglobin, parathyroid hormone, cholesterol, and Kt/V and residual renal function between the two groups. The survival rates of PD patients with diabetics versus non-diabetics were 73.3% versus 90.7% at 1 year, and 61.8% versus 82.5% (P < 0.05) at 2 years. Mean survival time of diabetic PD patients (24.6 months) was significantly inferior to non-diabetic PD patients (30.1 months) (P < 0.05). The relative risk of mortality in diabetic PD patients was 2. 449 times of that in non-diabetic patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis, indicated that serum albumin level and patient age were significant risk factors for mortality. CONCLUSION: Diabetic patients tended to be elderly, malnutrition and microinflammation at the beginning of PD. The survival of diabetic PD patients is inferior to non-diabetic PD patients on CAPD. Age and albumin level were risk factors for mortality in PD patients.

Surface Functionalization of Electrodes and Synthesis of Dual-Phase Solid Electrolytes for Structural Supercapacitors.

The interface between structural electrodes and solid electrolytes plays a key role in the electrical-mechanical properties of energy storage structures. Herein, we present a surface functionalization method to improve the ion conduction efficiency at the interface between a structural electrode and a solid electrolyte that consists of a bi-continuous network of epoxy and ionic liquid (IL). Composite supercapacitors made with this electrolyte and carbon fiber (CF) electrodes coated with manganese dioxide (MnO2) demonstrate that treating the electrodes with the silane can increase the areal capacitance by 300% without degrading the tensile strength. The dual-phase electrolyte containing 40 wt % IL and 60 wt % epoxy exhibits the highest multifunctional performance, measured by the product of stiffness and ionic conductivity. The outstanding mechanical and energy storage properties demonstrate that the silane treatment of MnO2-coated CF fabric structural electrodes is a promising method for future high-performance structural composite supercapacitors.

Transmembrane protein KIRREL1 regulates Hippo signaling via a feedback loop and represents a therapeutic target in YAP/TAZ-active cancers.

The Hippo tumor-suppressor pathway is frequently dysregulated in human cancers and represents a therapeutic target. However, strategies targeting the mammalian Hippo pathway are limited because of the lack of a well-established cell-surface regulator. Here, we show that transmembrane protein KIRREL1, by interacting with both SAV1 and LATS1/2, promotes LATS1/2 activation by MST1/2 (Hippo kinases), and LATS1/2 activation, in turn, inhibits activity of YAP/TAZ oncoproteins. Conversely, YAP/TAZ directly induce the expression of KIRREL1 in a TEAD1-4-dependent manner. Indeed, KIRREL1 expression positively correlates with canonical YAP/TAZ target gene expression in clinical tumor specimens and predicts poor prognosis. Moreover, transgenic expression of KIRREL1 effectively blocks tumorigenesis in a mouse intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma model, indicating a tumor-suppressor role of KIRREL1. Hence, KIRREL1 constitutes a negative feedback mechanism regulating the Hippo pathway and serves as a cell-surface marker and potential drug target in cancers with YAP/TAZ dependency.

Targeting miR-30d reverses pathological cardiac hypertrophy.

BACKGROUND: Pathological cardiac hypertrophy occurs in response to numerous stimuli and precedes heart failure (HF). Therapies that ameliorate pathological cardiac hypertrophy are highly needed. METHODS: The expression level of miR-30d was analyzed in hypertrophy models and serum of patients with chronic heart failure by qRT-PCR. Gain and loss-of-function experiments of miR-30d were performed in vitro. miR-30d gain of function were performed in vivo. Bioinformatics, western blot, luciferase assay, qRT-PCR, and immunofluorescence were performed to examine the molecular mechanisms of miR-30d. FINDINGS: miR-30d was decreased in both murine and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) models of hypertrophy. miR-30d overexpression ameliorated phenylephrine (PE) and angiotensin II (Ang II) induced hypertrophy in NRCMs, whereas the opposite phenotype was observed when miR-30d was downregulated. Consistently, the miR-30d transgenic rat was found to protect against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced pathological hypertrophy. Mechanistically, methyltransferase EZH2 could promote H3K27me3 methylation in the promotor region of miR-30d and suppress its expression during the pathological cardiac hypertrophy. miR-30d prevented pathological cardiac hypertrophy via negatively regulating its target genes MAP4K4 and GRP78 and inhibiting pro-hypertrophic nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT). Adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotype 9 mediated-miR-30d overexpression exhibited beneficial effects in murine hypertrophic model. Notably, miR-30d was reduced in serum of patients with chronic heart failure and miR-30d overexpression could significantly ameliorate pathological hypertrophy in human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. INTERPRETATION: Overexpression of miR-30d may be a potential approach to treat pathological cardiac hypertrophy. FUNDING: This work was supported by the grants from National Key Research and Development Project (2018YFE0113500 to J Xiao), National Natural Science Foundation of China (82020108002 to J Xiao, 81900359 to J Li), the grant from Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (20DZ2255400 and 21XD1421300 to J Xiao, 22010500200 to J Li), Shanghai Sailing Program (19YF1416400 to J Li), the "Dawn" Program of Shanghai Education Commission (19SG34 to J Xiao), the "Chen Guang" project supported by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and Shanghai Education Development Foundation (19CG45 to J Li).

Angiotensin II-induced muscle atrophy via PPARγ suppression is mediated by miR-29b.

The activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) induced by increased angiotensin II (AngII) levels has been implicated in muscle atrophy, which is involved in the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure. Although peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) activation can suppress RAS, the exact role of PPARγ in AngII-induced muscle atrophy is unclear. Here we identified PPARγ as a negative regulator of miR-29b, a microRNA that is able to promote multiple types of muscle atrophy. Suppression of miR-29b could prevent AngII-induced muscle atrophy both in vitro and in vivo. IGF1, PI3K(p85α), and Yin Yang 1 (YY1) were identified as target genes of miR-29b, and overexpression of these targets could rescue AngII-induced muscle atrophy. Importantly, inhibition of PPARγ was sufficient to induce muscle atrophy, while PPARγ overexpression could attenuate that. These data indicate that the PPARγ/miR-29b axis mediates AngII-induced muscle atrophy, and increasing PPARγ or inhibiting miR-29b represents a promising approach to counteract AngII-induced muscle atrophy.

A novel platform designed by Au core/inorganic shell structure conjugated onto MTX/LDH for chemo-photothermal therapy.

A novel platform making up of methotrexate intercalated layered double hydroxide (MTX/LDH) hybrid doped with gold nanoparticles (NPs) may have great potential both in chemo-photothermal therapy and the simultaneous drug delivery. In this paper, a promising platform of Au@PDDA-MTX/LDH was developed for anti-tumor drug delivery and synergistic therapy. Firstly, Au NPs were coated using Layer-by-Layer (LbL) technology by alternate deposition of poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and MTX molecules, and then the resulting core-shell structures (named as Au@PDDA-MTX) were directly conjugated onto the surface of MTX/LDH hybrid by electrostatic attraction to afford Au@PDDA-MTX/LDH NPs. Here MTX was used as both the agent for surface modification and the anti-tumor drug for chemotherapy. The platform of Au@PDDA-MTX/LDH NPs not only had a high drug-loading capacity, but also showed excellent colloidal stability and interesting pH-responsive release profile. In vitro drug release studies demonstrated that MTX released from Au@PDDA-MTX/LDH was relatively slow under normal physiological pH, but it was enhanced significantly at a weak acidic pH value. Furthermore, the combined treatment of cancer cells by using Au@PDDA-MTX/LDH for synergistic hyperthermia ablation and chemotherapy was demonstrated to exhibit higher therapeutic efficacy than either single treatment alone, underscoring the great potential of the platform for cancer therapy.

[Effects of hepatocyte growth factor on TGF-beta1 triggered tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation by CTGF in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on TGF-beta1 triggered tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation (TEMT) and on the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). METHODS: The morphology of transdifferentiate tubular cells was observed using phase-contrast microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. alpha-SMA was assessed by immunohistochemistry and semiquantified by mean intergrated opitical density (IOD). The level of fibronectin (FN) in the culture supernatant was measured by ELISA. CTGF mRNA expression was examined by RT-PCR. RESULTS: The TGF-beta1-induced TEMT characterized by expression of alpha-SMA was shown by immunohistochemistry. TGF-beta1 was also shown to stimulate the secretion of FN in cultured supernatant and the CTGF mRNA expression of NRK52E cells. There was no statistically significant difference between HGF-treated groups and control group in the result of alpha-SMA immunostaining and the level of FN, except that CTGF mRNA expression was slightly increased in the HGF-treated groups. The addition of HGF inhibited the TGF-beta1-induced TEMT, the secretion of FN, and the CTGF expression of NRK52E cells, there was a significant correlation between the expression of CTGF and the expression of alpha-SMA. CONCLUSION: HGF could block TEMT and FN secretion triggered by TGF-beta1, which implies that HGF could participate in renal interstitial fibrosis as a negative regulator. The negative regulation of transdifferentiation of HGF may be partially achieved by attenuation of CTGF expression.

[Clinical and pathological analyses of lipoprotein glomerulopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of lipoprotein glomerulopathy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 3 cases of lipoprotein glomerulopathy. RESULTS: The 3 patients, 1 male and 2 females, were young Hans. They were admitted to our hospital because of edema. Patient 1 had a positive family history. Her proteinuria ranged between 0.8-1.5 g/d, her serum albumin levels were below the normal lower limit, and she was afflicted with anemia. Patient 2 was found having slightly increased serum creatinine, hypertension, and increased total cholesterol and triglyceride level. The kidneys of patient 3 were enlarged. Increments of glomerular size and capillary lumen space were observed under microscope. Bioptic specimens of the patients' kidneys displayed extensive prominent lucent casts in the capillary lumen, which were stained as pale mesh-like substance and were not stained by silver impregnation. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed faint immunoglobulin deposit. These casts were stained positive for apoE. CONCLUSION: Lipoprotein glomerulopathy is pathologically characterized by extensive glomerular capillary casts which are stained positive for apoE, and clinically it is characterized by edema, proteinuria, hypoalbuminaemia and anemia.