Identification of ALK in Thinness.

There is considerable inter-individual variability in susceptibility to weight gain despite an equally obesogenic environment in large parts of the world. Whereas many studies have focused on identifying the genetic susceptibility to obesity, we performed a GWAS on metabolically healthy thin individuals (lowest 6th percentile of the population-wide BMI spectrum) in a uniquely phenotyped Estonian cohort. We discovered anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) as a candidate thinness gene. In Drosophila, RNAi mediated knockdown of Alk led to decreased triglyceride levels. In mice, genetic deletion of Alk resulted in thin animals with marked resistance to diet- and leptin-mutation-induced obesity. Mechanistically, we found that ALK expression in hypothalamic neurons controls energy expenditure via sympathetic control of adipose tissue lipolysis. Our genetic and mechanistic experiments identify ALK as a thinness gene, which is involved in the resistance to weight gain.

N6-methyladenosine demethylase FTO enhances chemo-resistance in colorectal cancer through SIVA1-mediated apoptosis.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most pervasive RNA modification and is recognized as a novel epigenetic regulation in RNA metabolism. Although the m6A modification involves various physiological processes, its roles in drug resistance in colorectal cancer (CRC) still remain unknown. We analyzed the RNA expression profile of m6A/A (%) with MRM mass spectrometry in human 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-resistant CRC tissues, and used the m6A RNA immunoprecipitation assay to validate the m6A-regulated target. Our results have shown that the m6A demethylase FTO was up-regulated in human primary and 5-FU-resistant CRC. Depletion of FTO decreased cell growth, colony formation and metastasis in 5-FU-resistant CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we identified SIVA1, a critical apoptotic gene, as a key downstream target of the FTO-mediated m6A demethylation. The m6A demethylation of SIVA1 at the CDS region induced its mRNA degradation via a YTHDF2-dependent mechanism. The SIVA1 levels were negatively correlated with the FTO levels in clinical CRC tissues. Notably, inhibition of FTO significantly reduced the tolerance of 5-FU in 5-FU-resistant CRC cells via the FTO-SIVA1 axis, whereas SIVA1-depletion could restore the m6A-dependent 5-FU sensitivity in CRC cells. In summary, our findings demonstrate a critical role of FTO as an m6A demethylase enhancing chemo-resistance in CRC cells, and suggest that FTO inhibition may restore the sensitivity of chemo-resistant CRC cells to 5-FU.

Natural compounds as obesity pharmacotherapies.

Obesity has become a serious global public health problem, affecting over 988 million people worldwide. Nevertheless, current pharmacotherapies have proven inadequate. Natural compounds have garnered significant attention due to their potential antiobesity effects. Over the past three decades, ca. 50 natural compounds have been evaluated for the preventive and/or therapeutic effects on obesity in animals and humans. However, variations in the antiobesity efficacies among these natural compounds have been substantial, owing to differences in experimental designs, including variations in animal models, dosages, treatment durations, and administration methods. The feasibility of employing these natural compounds as pharmacotherapies for obesity remained uncertain. In this review, we systematically summarized the antiobesity efficacy and mechanisms of action of each natural compound in animal models. This comprehensive review furnishes valuable insights for the development of antiobesity medications based on natural compounds.

RagC phosphorylation autoregulates mTOR complex 1.

The mechanistic (or mammalian) target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) controls cell growth, proliferation, and metabolism in response to diverse stimuli. Two major parallel pathways are implicated in mTORC1 regulation including a growth factor-responsive pathway mediated via TSC2/Rheb and an amino acid-responsive pathway mediated via the Rag GTPases. Here, we identify and characterize three highly conserved growth factor-responsive phosphorylation sites on RagC, a component of the Rag heterodimer, implicating cross talk between amino acid and growth factor-mediated regulation of mTORC1. We find that RagC phosphorylation is associated with destabilization of mTORC1 and is essential for both growth factor and amino acid-induced mTORC1 activation. Functionally, RagC phosphorylation suppresses starvation-induced autophagy, and genetic studies in Drosophila reveal that RagC phosphorylation plays an essential role in regulation of cell growth. Finally, we identify mTORC1 as the upstream kinase of RagC on S21. Our data highlight the importance of RagC phosphorylation in its function and identify a previously unappreciated auto-regulatory mechanism of mTORC1 activity.

Integrating genome-wide CRISPR screens and in silico drug profiling for targeted antidote development.

Numerous toxins threaten humans, but specific antidotes are unavailable for most of them. Although CRISPR screening has aided the discovery of the mechanisms of some toxins, developing targeted antidotes remains a significant challenge. Recently, we established a systematic framework to develop antidotes by combining the identification of novel drug targets by using a genome-wide CRISPR screen with a virtual screen of drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This approach allows for a comprehensive understanding of toxin mechanisms at the whole-genome level and facilitates the identification of promising antidote drugs targeting specific molecules. Here, we present step-by-step instructions for executing genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screens of toxins in HAP1 cells. We also provide detailed guidance for conducting an in silico drug screen and an in vivo drug validation. By using this protocol, it takes ~4 weeks to perform the genome-scale screen, 4 weeks for sequencing and data analysis, 4 weeks to validate candidate genes, 1 week for the virtual screen and 2 weeks for in vitro drug validation. This framework has the potential to accelerate the development of antidotes for a wide range of toxins and can rapidly identify promising drug candidates that are already known to be safe and effective. This could lead to the development of new antidotes much more quickly than traditional methods, protecting lives from diverse toxins and advancing human health.

Glutamine enhances sucrose taste through a gut microbiota-gut-brain axis in Drosophila.

AIMS: Amino acids (AAs) are known to play important roles in various physiological functions. However, their effect on sweet taste perception remains largely unknown. MAIN METHODS: We used Drosophila to evaluate the effect of each AA on sucrose taste perception. Individual AA was supplemented into diets and male flies were fed on these diets for 6 days. The proboscis extension response (PER) assay was applied to assess the sucrose taste sensitivity of treated flies. We further utilized the RNA-seq and germ-free (GF) flies to reveal the underlying mechanisms of sucrose taste sensitization induced by glutamine (Gln). KEY FINDINGS: We found that supplementation of Gln into diets significantly enhances sucrose taste sensitivity. This sucrose taste sensitization is dependent on gut microbiota and requires a specific gut bacterium Acetobacter tropicalis (A. tropicalis). We further found that CNMamide (CNMa) in the gut and CNMa receptor (CNMaR) in dopaminergic neurons are required for increased sucrose taste sensitivity by Gln diet. Finally, we demonstrated that a gut microbiota-gut-brain axis is required for Gln-induced sucrose taste sensitization. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings can advance understanding of the complex interplay between host physiology, dietary factors, and gut microbiota.

Regulation of Burkholderia cenocepacia virulence by the fatty acyl-CoA ligase DsfR as a response regulator of quorum sensing signal.

Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication mechanism mediated by small diffusible signaling molecules. Previous studies showed that RpfR controls Burkholderia cenocepacia virulence as a cis-2-dodecenoic acid (BDSF) QS signal receptor. Here, we report that the fatty acyl-CoA ligase DsfR (BCAM2136), which efficiently catalyzes in vitro synthesis of lauryl-CoA and oleoyl-CoA from lauric acid and oleic acid, respectively, acts as a global transcriptional regulator to control B. cenocepacia virulence by sensing BDSF. We show that BDSF binds to DsfR with high affinity and enhances the binding of DsfR to the promoter DNA regions of target genes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the homolog of DsfR in B. lata, RS02960, binds to the target gene promoter, and perception of BDSF enhances the binding activity of RS02960. Together, these results provide insights into the evolved unusual functions of DsfR that control bacterial virulence as a response regulator of QS signal.

Nutritional geometry framework of sleep.

AIMS: Sleep is a fundamental physiological function and is essential for all animals. Sleep is affected by diet compositions including protein (P) and carbohydrates (C), but there has not been a systematic investigation on the effect of dietary macronutrient balance on sleep. MAIN METHODS: We used the nutritional geometry framework (NGF) to explore the interactive effects on sleep of protein (P) and carbohydrates (C) in the model organism Drosophila. Both female and male flies were fed various diets containing seven ratios of protein-to-carbohydrates at different energetic levels for 5 days and sleep was monitored by the Drosophila Activity Monitor (DAM) system. KEY FINDINGS: Our results showed that the combination of low protein and high carbohydrates (LPHC) prolonged sleep time and sleep quality, with fewer sleep episodes and longer sleep duration. We further found that the effects of macronutrients on sleep mirrored levels of hemolymph glucose and whole-body glycogen. Moreover, transcriptomic analyses revealed that a high-protein, low-carbohydrate (HPLC) diet significantly elevated the gene expression of metabolic pathways when compared to the LPHC diet, with the glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism pathway being most strongly elevated. Further studies confirmed that the contents of glycine, serine, and threonine affected sleep. SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate that sleep is affected by the dietary balance of protein and carbohydrates possibly mediated by the change in glucose, glycogen, glycine, serine, and threonine.

The combined effect of metformin and mirabegron on diet-induced obesity.

Anti-obesity medications act by suppressing energy intake (EI), promoting energy expenditure (EE), or both. Metformin (Met) and mirabegron (Mir) cause weight loss by targeting EI and EE, respectively. However, anti-obesity effects during concurrent use of both have yet to be explored. In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity effects, metabolic benefits, and underlying mechanisms of Met/Mir combination therapy in two clinically relevant contexts: the prevention model and the treatment model. In the prevention model, Met/Mir caused further 12% and 14% reductions in body weight (BW) gain induced by a high-fat diet compared to Met or Mir alone, respectively. In the treatment model, Met/Mir additively promoted 17% BW loss in diet-induced obese mice, which was 13% and 6% greater than Met and Mir alone, respectively. Additionally, Met/Mir improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. These benefits of Met/Mir were associated with increased EE, activated brown adipose tissue thermogenesis, and white adipose tissue browning. Significantly, Met/Mir did not cause cardiovascular dysfunction in either model. Together, the combination of Met and Mir could be a promising approach for the prevention and treatment of obesity by targeting both EI and EE simultaneously.

Identification of indocyanine green as a STT3B inhibitor against mushroom α-amanitin cytotoxicity.

The "death cap", Amanita phalloides, is the world's most poisonous mushroom, responsible for 90% of mushroom-related fatalities. The most fatal component of the death cap is α-amanitin. Despite its lethal effect, the exact mechanisms of how α-amanitin poisons humans remain unclear, leading to no specific antidote available for treatment. Here we show that STT3B is required for α-amanitin toxicity and its inhibitor, indocyanine green (ICG), can be used as a specific antidote. By combining a genome-wide CRISPR screen with an in silico drug screening and in vivo functional validation, we discover that N-glycan biosynthesis pathway and its key component, STT3B, play a crucial role in α-amanitin toxicity and that ICG is a STT3B inhibitor. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ICG is effective in blocking the toxic effect of α-amanitin in cells, liver organoids, and male mice, resulting in an overall increase in animal survival. Together, by combining a genome-wide CRISPR screen for α-amanitin toxicity with an in silico drug screen and functional validation in vivo, our study highlights ICG as a STT3B inhibitor against the mushroom toxin.

Nutritional geometry framework of sucrose taste in Drosophila.

Dietary protein (P) and carbohydrate (C) have a major impact on the sweet taste sensation. However, it remains unclear whether the balance of P and C influences the sweet taste sensitivity. Here, we use the nutritional geometry framework (NGF) to address the interaction of protein and carbohydrates on sweet taste using Drosophila as a model. Our results reveal that high-protein, low-carbohydrate (HPLC) diets sensitize to sweet taste and low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diets desensitize sweet taste in both male and female flies. We further investigate the underlying mechanisms of the effects of two diets on sweet taste using RNA sequencing. When compared to the LPHC diet, the mRNA expression of genes involved in the metabolism of glycine, serine, and threonine is significantly upregulated in the HPLC diet group, suggesting these amino acids may mediate sweet taste perception. We further find that sweet sensitization occurs in flies fed with the LPHC diet supplemented with serine and threonine. Our study demonstrates that sucrose taste sensitivity is affected by the balance of dietary protein and carbohydrates possibly through changes in serine and threonine.

RNA and RNA Derivatives: Light and Dark Sides in Cancer Immunotherapy.

Significance: Immunotherapy, which utilizes the patient's immune system to fight tumor cells, has been approved for the treatment of some types of advanced cancer. Recent Advances: The complexity and diversity of tumor immunity are responsible for the varying response rates toward current immunotherapy strategies and highlight the importance of exploring regulators in tumor immunotherapy. Several genetic factors have proved to be critical regulators of tumor immunotherapy. RNAs, including messenger RNAs and non-coding RNAs, play vital and diverse roles in tumorigenesis, metastasis, drug resistance, and immunotherapy response. RNA modifications, including N6-methyladenosine methylation, are involved in tumor immunity. Critical Issues: A critical issue is the lack of summary of the regulatory RNA molecules and their derivatives in mediating immune activities in human cancers that could provide potential applications for tumor immunotherapeutic strategy. Future Directions: This review summarizes the dual roles (the light and dark sides) of RNA and its derivatives in tumor immunotherapy and discusses the development of RNA-based therapies as novel immunotherapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 37, 1266-1290.

dSec16 Acting in Insulin-like Peptide Producing Cells Controls Energy Homeostasis in Drosophila.

Many studies show that genetics play a major contribution to the onset of obesity. Human genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified hundreds of genes that are associated with obesity. However, the majority of them have not been functionally validated. SEC16B has been identified in multiple obesity GWASs but its physiological role in energy homeostasis remains unknown. Here, we use Drosophila to determine the physiological functions of dSec16 in energy metabolism. Our results showed that global RNAi of dSec16 increased food intake and triglyceride (TAG) levels. Furthermore, this TAG increase was observed in flies with a specific RNAi of dSec16 in insulin-like peptide producing cells (IPCs) with an alteration of endocrine peptides. Together, our study demonstrates that dSec16 acting in IPCs controls energy balance and advances the molecular understanding of obesity.

The application of genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screens to dissect the molecular mechanisms of toxins.

Many toxins are life-threatening to both animals and humans. However, specific antidotes are not available for most of those toxins. The molecular mechanisms underlying the toxicology of well-known toxins are not yet fully characterized. Recently, the advance in CRISPR-Cas9 technologies has greatly accelerated the process of revealing the toxic mechanisms of some common toxins on hosts from a genome-wide perspective. The high-throughput CRISPR screen has made it feasible to untangle complicated interactions between a particular toxin and its corresponding targeting tissue(s). In this review, we present an overview of recent advances in molecular dissection of toxins' cytotoxicity by using genome-wide CRISPR screens, summarize the components essential for toxin-specific CRISPR screens, and propose new strategies for future research.

Histone deacetylases play distinct roles in telomeric VSG expression site silencing in African trypanosomes.

African trypanosomes evade the host immune response through antigenic variation, which is achieved by periodically expressing different variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs). VSG expression is monoallelic such that only one of approximately 15 telomeric VSG expression sites (ESs) is transcribed at a time. Epigenetic regulation is involved in VSG control but our understanding of the mechanisms involved remains incomplete. Histone deacetylases are potential drug targets for diseases caused by protozoan parasites. Here, using recombinant expression we show that the essential Trypanosoma brucei deacetylases, DAC1 (class I) and DAC3 (class II) display histone deacetylase activity. Both DAC1 and DAC3 are nuclear proteins in the bloodstream stage parasite, while only DAC3 remains concentrated in the nucleus in insect-stage cells. Consistent with developmentally regulated localization, DAC1 antagonizes SIR2rp1-dependent telomeric silencing only in the bloodstream form, indicating a conserved role in the control of silent chromatin domains. In contrast, DAC3 is specifically required for silencing at VSG ES promoters in both bloodstream and insect-stage cells. We conclude that DAC1 and DAC3 play distinct roles in subtelomeric gene silencing and that DAC3 represents the first readily druggable target linked to VSG ES control in the African trypanosome.

Peripheral-specific Y1 receptor antagonism increases thermogenesis and protects against diet-induced obesity.

Obesity is caused by an imbalance between food intake and energy expenditure (EE). Here we identify a conserved pathway that links signalling through peripheral Y1 receptors (Y1R) to the control of EE. Selective antagonism of peripheral Y1R, via the non-brain penetrable antagonist BIBO3304, leads to a significant reduction in body weight gain due to enhanced EE thereby reducing fat mass. Specifically thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT) due to elevated UCP1 is enhanced accompanied by extensive browning of white adipose tissue both in mice and humans. Importantly, selective ablation of Y1R from adipocytes protects against diet-induced obesity. Furthermore, peripheral specific Y1R antagonism also improves glucose homeostasis mainly driven by dynamic changes in Akt activity in BAT. Together, these data suggest that selective peripheral only Y1R antagonism via BIBO3304, or a functional analogue, could be developed as a safer and more effective treatment option to mitigate diet-induced obesity.

Multi-ethnic GWAS and meta-analysis of sleep quality identify MPP6 as a novel gene that functions in sleep center neurons.

Poor sleep quality can have harmful health consequences. Although many aspects of sleep are heritable, the understandings of genetic factors involved in its physiology remain limited. Here, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in a multi-ethnic discovery cohort (n = 2868) and found two novel genome-wide loci on chromosomes 2 and 7 associated with global sleep quality. A meta-analysis in 12 independent cohorts (100 000 individuals) replicated the association on chromosome 7 between NPY and MPP6. While NPY is an important sleep gene, we tested for an independent functional role of MPP6. Expression data showed an association of this locus with both NPY and MPP6 mRNA levels in brain tissues. Moreover, knockdown of an orthologue of MPP6 in Drosophila melanogaster sleep center neurons resulted in decreased sleep duration. With convergent evidence, we describe a new locus impacting human variability in sleep quality through known NPY and novel MPP6 sleep genes.

PGC1α Controls Sucrose Taste Sensitization in Drosophila.

Perceived palatability of food controls caloric intake. Sweet taste is the primary means of detecting the carbohydrate content of food. Surprisingly, sweet taste sensitivity is responsive to extrinsic factors like diet, and this occurs by unknown mechanisms. Here, we describe an unbiased proteomic investigation into sweet taste sensitivity in the fruit fly. We identify a dopamine/cyclic AMP (cAMP)/CREB axis acting within sweet taste neurons that controls taste perception but is largely dispensable for acute taste transduction. This pathway modulates sweet taste perception in response to both sensory- and nutrient-restricted diets and converges on PGC1α, a critical regulator of metabolic health and lifespan. By electrophysiology, we found that enhanced sucrose taste sensitivity was the result of heightened sweet taste intensity and that PGC1α was both necessary and sufficient for this effect. Together, we provide the first molecular insight into how diet-induced taste perception is regulated within the sweet taste neuron.

Nerve injury drives a heightened state of vigilance and neuropathic sensitization in Drosophila.

Injury can lead to devastating and often untreatable chronic pain. While acute pain perception (nociception) evolved more than 500 million years ago, virtually nothing is known about the molecular origin of chronic pain. Here we provide the first evidence that nerve injury leads to chronic neuropathic sensitization in insects. Mechanistically, peripheral nerve injury triggers a loss of central inhibition that drives escape circuit plasticity and neuropathic allodynia. At the molecular level, excitotoxic signaling within GABAergic (γ-aminobutyric acid) neurons required the acetylcholine receptor nAChRα1 and led to caspase-dependent death of GABAergic neurons. Conversely, disruption of GABA signaling was sufficient to trigger allodynia without injury. Last, we identified the conserved transcription factor twist as a critical downstream regulator driving GABAergic cell death and neuropathic allodynia. Together, we define how injury leads to allodynia in insects, and describe a primordial precursor to neuropathic pain may have been advantageous, protecting animals after serious injury.

High Dietary Sugar Reshapes Sweet Taste to Promote Feeding Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster.

Recent studies find that sugar tastes less intense to humans with obesity, but whether this sensory change is a cause or a consequence of obesity is unclear. To tackle this question, we study the effects of a high sugar diet on sweet taste sensation and feeding behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. On this diet, fruit flies have lower taste responses to sweet stimuli, overconsume food, and develop obesity. Excess dietary sugar, but not obesity or dietary sweetness alone, caused taste deficits and overeating via the cell-autonomous action of the sugar sensor O-linked N-Acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase (OGT) in the sweet-sensing neurons. Correcting taste deficits by manipulating the excitability of the sweet gustatory neurons or the levels of OGT protected animals from diet-induced obesity. Our work demonstrates that the reshaping of sweet taste sensation by excess dietary sugar drives obesity and highlights the role of glucose metabolism in neural activity and behavior.