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1.
Cell ; 187(5): 1255-1277.e27, 2024 Feb 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38359819

ABSTRACT

Despite the successes of immunotherapy in cancer treatment over recent decades, less than <10%-20% cancer cases have demonstrated durable responses from immune checkpoint blockade. To enhance the efficacy of immunotherapies, combination therapies suppressing multiple immune evasion mechanisms are increasingly contemplated. To better understand immune cell surveillance and diverse immune evasion responses in tumor tissues, we comprehensively characterized the immune landscape of more than 1,000 tumors across ten different cancers using CPTAC pan-cancer proteogenomic data. We identified seven distinct immune subtypes based on integrative learning of cell type compositions and pathway activities. We then thoroughly categorized unique genomic, epigenetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic changes associated with each subtype. Further leveraging the deep phosphoproteomic data, we studied kinase activities in different immune subtypes, which revealed potential subtype-specific therapeutic targets. Insights from this work will facilitate the development of future immunotherapy strategies and enhance precision targeting with existing agents.


Subject(s)
Neoplasms , Proteogenomics , Humans , Combined Modality Therapy , Genomics , Neoplasms/genetics , Neoplasms/immunology , Neoplasms/therapy , Proteomics , Tumor Escape
2.
Cell ; 186(9): 1824-1845, 2023 04 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37116469

ABSTRACT

Cachexia, a systemic wasting condition, is considered a late consequence of diseases, including cancer, organ failure, or infections, and contributes to significant morbidity and mortality. The induction process and mechanistic progression of cachexia are incompletely understood. Refocusing academic efforts away from advanced cachexia to the etiology of cachexia may enable discoveries of new therapeutic approaches. Here, we review drivers, mechanisms, organismal predispositions, evidence for multi-organ interaction, model systems, clinical research, trials, and care provision from early onset to late cachexia. Evidence is emerging that distinct inflammatory, metabolic, and neuro-modulatory drivers can initiate processes that ultimately converge on advanced cachexia.


Subject(s)
Cachexia , Humans , Cachexia/drug therapy , Cachexia/etiology , Cachexia/metabolism , Cachexia/pathology , Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism , Neoplasms/complications , Neoplasms/metabolism , Neoplasms/pathology , Infections/complications , Infections/pathology , Multiple Organ Failure/complications , Multiple Organ Failure/pathology
3.
Cell ; 181(4): 865-876.e12, 2020 05 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32353252

ABSTRACT

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.


Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Betacoronavirus/drug effects , CRISPR-Cas Systems , Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/drug effects , RNA, Viral/antagonists & inhibitors , A549 Cells , Antibiotic Prophylaxis/methods , Base Sequence , Betacoronavirus/genetics , Betacoronavirus/growth & development , COVID-19 , Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats , Computer Simulation , Conserved Sequence , Coronavirus/drug effects , Coronavirus/genetics , Coronavirus/growth & development , Coronavirus Infections/drug therapy , Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins , Coronavirus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase , Epithelial Cells/virology , Humans , Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/genetics , Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/growth & development , Lung/pathology , Lung/virology , Nucleocapsid Proteins/genetics , Pandemics , Phosphoproteins , Phylogeny , Pneumonia, Viral/drug therapy , RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase/genetics , SARS-CoV-2 , Viral Nonstructural Proteins/genetics
4.
Nat Immunol ; 23(6): 927-939, 2022 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35624205

ABSTRACT

Hypoxemia is a defining feature of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), an often-fatal complication of pulmonary or systemic inflammation, yet the resulting tissue hypoxia, and its impact on immune responses, is often neglected. In the present study, we have shown that ARDS patients were hypoxemic and monocytopenic within the first 48 h of ventilation. Monocytopenia was also observed in mouse models of hypoxic acute lung injury, in which hypoxemia drove the suppression of type I interferon signaling in the bone marrow. This impaired monopoiesis resulted in reduced accumulation of monocyte-derived macrophages and enhanced neutrophil-mediated inflammation in the lung. Administration of colony-stimulating factor 1 in mice with hypoxic lung injury rescued the monocytopenia, altered the phenotype of circulating monocytes, increased monocyte-derived macrophages in the lung and limited injury. Thus, tissue hypoxia altered the dynamics of the immune response to the detriment of the host and interventions to address the aberrant response offer new therapeutic strategies for ARDS.


Subject(s)
Lung Injury , Respiratory Distress Syndrome , Animals , Humans , Hypoxia/etiology , Inflammation/complications , Lung , Lung Injury/complications , Mice
5.
Nature ; 2024 Jul 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39009005

ABSTRACT

Transmission spectroscopy has been a workhorse technique over the past two decades to constrain the physical and chemical properties of exoplanet atmospheres 1-5. One of its classical key assumptions is that the portion of the atmosphere it probes - the terminator region - is homogeneous. Several works in the past decade, however, have put this into question for highly irradiated, hot (Teq ≳ 1000 K) gas giant exoplanets both empirically 6-10 and via 3-dimensional modelling 11-17. While models predict clear differences between the evening (day-to-night) and morning (night-to-day) terminators, direct morning/evening transmission spectra in a wide wavelength range has not been reported for an exoplanet to date. Under the assumption of precise and accurate orbital parameters on WASP-39 b, here we report the detection of inhomogeneous terminators on the exoplanet WASP-39 b, which allows us to retrieve its morning and evening transmission spectra in the near-infrared (2 - 5 µm) using JWST. We observe larger transit depths in the evening which are, on average, 405±88 ppm larger than the morning ones, also having qualitatively larger features than the morning spectrum. The spectra are best explained by models in which the evening terminator is hotter than the morning terminator by 177 - 57 + 65 K with both terminators having C/O ratios consistent with solar. General circulation models (GCMs) predict temperature differences broadly consistent with the above value and point towards a cloudy morning terminator and a clearer evening terminator.

7.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 121(4): e2315592121, 2024 Jan 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38227652

ABSTRACT

γδ T cells are essential for immune defense and modulating physiological processes. While they have the potential to recognize large numbers of antigens through somatic gene rearrangement, the antigens which trigger most γδ T cell response remain unidentified, and the role of antigen recognition in γδ T cell function is contentious. Here, we show that some γδ T cell receptors (TCRs) exhibit polyspecificity, recognizing multiple ligands of diverse molecular nature. These ligands include haptens, metabolites, neurotransmitters, posttranslational modifications, as well as peptides and proteins of microbial and host origin. Polyspecific γδ T cells are enriched among activated cells in naive mice and the responding population in infection. They express diverse TCR sequences, have different functional potentials, and include the innate-like γδ T cells, such as the major IL-17 responders in various pathological/physiological conditions. We demonstrate that encountering their antigenic microbiome metabolite maintains their homeostasis and functional response, indicating that their ability to recognize multiple ligands is essential for their function. Human γδ T cells with similar polyspecificity also respond to various immune challenges. This study demonstrates that polyspecificity is a prevalent feature of γδ T cell antigen recognition, which enables rapid and robust T cell responses to a wide range of challenges, highlighting a unique function of γδ T cells.


Subject(s)
Blood Group Antigens , Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta , Humans , Mice , Animals , Antigens , Haptens
8.
N Engl J Med ; 386(24): 2295-2302, 2022 06 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35704481

ABSTRACT

Lifelong immunosuppression is required for allograft survival after kidney transplantation but may not ultimately prevent allograft loss resulting from chronic rejection. We developed an approach that attempts to abrogate immune rejection and the need for post-transplantation immunosuppression in three patients with Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia who had both T-cell immunodeficiency and renal failure. Each patient received sequential transplants of αß T-cell-depleted and CD19 B-cell-depleted haploidentical hematopoietic stem cells and a kidney from the same donor. Full donor hematopoietic chimerism and functional ex vivo T-cell tolerance was achieved, and the patients continued to have normal renal function without immunosuppression at 22 to 34 months after kidney transplantation. (Funded by the Kruzn for a Kure Foundation.).


Subject(s)
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes , Kidney Transplantation , Nephrotic Syndrome , Osteochondrodysplasias , Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases , Arteriosclerosis/genetics , Arteriosclerosis/therapy , Graft Rejection/prevention & control , Humans , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/therapy , Kidney/physiology , Kidney Transplantation/adverse effects , Nephrotic Syndrome/genetics , Nephrotic Syndrome/therapy , Osteochondrodysplasias/genetics , Osteochondrodysplasias/therapy , Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases/genetics , Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases/therapy , Pulmonary Embolism/genetics , Pulmonary Embolism/therapy , Transplantation Conditioning/methods
9.
N Engl J Med ; 386(26): 2482-2494, 2022 06 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35657079

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Ibrutinib, a Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, may have clinical benefit when administered in combination with bendamustine and rituximab and followed by rituximab maintenance therapy in older patients with untreated mantle-cell lymphoma. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients 65 years of age or older to receive ibrutinib (560 mg, administered orally once daily until disease progression or unacceptable toxic effects) or placebo, plus six cycles of bendamustine (90 mg per square meter of body-surface area) and rituximab (375 mg per square meter). Patients with an objective response (complete or partial response) received rituximab maintenance therapy, administered every 8 weeks for up to 12 additional doses. The primary end point was progression-free survival as assessed by the investigators. Overall survival and safety were also assessed. RESULTS: Among 523 patients, 261 were randomly assigned to receive ibrutinib and 262 to receive placebo. At a median follow-up of 84.7 months, the median progression-free survival was 80.6 months in the ibrutinib group and 52.9 months in the placebo group (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.59 to 0.96; P = 0.01). The percentage of patients with a complete response was 65.5% in the ibrutinib group and 57.6% in the placebo group (P = 0.06). Overall survival was similar in the two groups. The incidence of grade 3 or 4 adverse events during treatment was 81.5% in the ibrutinib group and 77.3% in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Ibrutinib treatment in combination with standard chemoimmunotherapy significantly prolonged progression-free survival. The safety profile of the combined therapy was consistent with the known profiles of the individual drugs. (Funded by Janssen Research and Development and Pharmacyclics; SHINE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01776840.).


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols , Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell , Adenine/administration & dosage , Adenine/analogs & derivatives , Aged , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Bendamustine Hydrochloride/administration & dosage , Bendamustine Hydrochloride/adverse effects , Disease Progression , Humans , Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell/drug therapy , Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell/mortality , Maintenance Chemotherapy , Piperidines/administration & dosage , Piperidines/adverse effects , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/administration & dosage , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/adverse effects , Pyrazoles/administration & dosage , Pyrazoles/adverse effects , Pyrimidines/administration & dosage , Pyrimidines/adverse effects , Remission Induction , Rituximab/administration & dosage , Rituximab/adverse effects , Survival Analysis
10.
J Virol ; 98(5): e0151623, 2024 May 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38567951

ABSTRACT

The non-human primate (NHP) model (specifically rhesus and cynomolgus macaques) has facilitated our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of yellow fever (YF) disease and allowed the evaluation of the safety and efficacy of YF-17D vaccines. However, the accuracy of this model in mimicking vaccine-induced immunity in humans remains to be fully determined. We used a systems biology approach to compare hematological, biochemical, transcriptomic, and innate and antibody-mediated immune responses in cynomolgus macaques and human participants following YF-17D vaccination. Immune response progression in cynomolgus macaques followed a similar course as in adult humans but with a slightly earlier onset. Yellow fever virus neutralizing antibody responses occurred earlier in cynomolgus macaques [by Day 7[(D7)], but titers > 10 were reached in both species by D14 post-vaccination and were not significantly different by D28 [plaque reduction neutralization assay (PRNT)50 titers 3.6 Log vs 3.5 Log in cynomolgus macaques and human participants, respectively; P = 0.821]. Changes in neutrophils, NK cells, monocytes, and T- and B-cell frequencies were higher in cynomolgus macaques and persisted for 4 weeks versus less than 2 weeks in humans. Low levels of systemic inflammatory cytokines (IL-1RA, IL-8, MIP-1α, IP-10, MCP-1, or VEGF) were detected in either or both species but with no or only slight changes versus baseline. Similar changes in gene expression profiles were elicited in both species. These included enriched and up-regulated type I IFN-associated viral sensing, antiviral innate response, and dendritic cell activation pathways D3-D7 post-vaccination in both species. Hematological and blood biochemical parameters remained relatively unchanged versus baseline in both species. Low-level YF-17D viremia (RNAemia) was transiently detected in some cynomolgus macaques [28% (5/18)] but generally absent in humans [except one participant (5%; 1/20)].IMPORTANCECynomolgus macaques were confirmed as a valid surrogate model for replicating YF-17D vaccine-induced responses in humans and suggest a key role for type I IFN.


Subject(s)
Macaca fascicularis , Models, Animal , Yellow Fever Vaccine , Animals , Female , Humans , Male , Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Immunity, Innate , Systems Biology/methods , Vaccination , Yellow Fever/prevention & control , Yellow Fever/immunology , Yellow Fever/virology , Yellow Fever Vaccine/immunology , Yellow fever virus/immunology
11.
Nat Immunol ; 14(11): 1166-72, 2013 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24076635

ABSTRACT

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) signaling regulates lymphocyte egress from lymphoid organs into systemic circulation. The sphingosine phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) agonist FTY-720 (Gilenya) arrests immune trafficking and prevents multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses. However, alternative mechanisms of S1P-S1P1 signaling have been reported. Phosphoproteomic analysis of MS brain lesions revealed S1P1 phosphorylation on S351, a residue crucial for receptor internalization. Mutant mice harboring an S1pr1 gene encoding phosphorylation-deficient receptors (S1P1(S5A)) developed severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) due to autoimmunity mediated by interleukin 17 (IL-17)-producing helper T cells (TH17 cells) in the peripheral immune and nervous system. S1P1 directly activated the Jak-STAT3 signal-transduction pathway via IL-6. Impaired S1P1 phosphorylation enhances TH17 polarization and exacerbates autoimmune neuroinflammation. These mechanisms may be pathogenic in MS.


Subject(s)
Brain/metabolism , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/metabolism , Interleukin-17/metabolism , Lysophospholipids/metabolism , Multiple Sclerosis/metabolism , Receptors, Lysosphingolipid/metabolism , Signal Transduction/immunology , Sphingosine/analogs & derivatives , Animals , Autopsy , Brain/immunology , Brain/pathology , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/genetics , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/immunology , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/pathology , Female , Gene Expression Regulation , Humans , Inflammation , Interleukin-17/genetics , Interleukin-17/immunology , Interleukin-6/genetics , Interleukin-6/immunology , Interleukin-6/metabolism , Janus Kinases/genetics , Janus Kinases/immunology , Janus Kinases/metabolism , Lysophospholipids/immunology , Mice , Multiple Sclerosis/genetics , Multiple Sclerosis/immunology , Multiple Sclerosis/pathology , Phosphorylation , Receptors, Lysosphingolipid/genetics , Receptors, Lysosphingolipid/immunology , STAT3 Transcription Factor/genetics , STAT3 Transcription Factor/immunology , STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism , Sphingosine/immunology , Sphingosine/metabolism , Th17 Cells
12.
Nat Chem Biol ; 19(3): 292-300, 2023 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36280791

ABSTRACT

Glutamine synthetase (GS) activity is conserved from prokaryotes to humans, where the ATP-dependent production of glutamine from glutamate and ammonia is essential for neurotransmission and ammonia detoxification. Here, we show that mammalian GS uses glutamate and methylamine to produce a methylated glutamine analog, N5-methylglutamine. Untargeted metabolomics revealed that liver-specific GS deletion and its pharmacological inhibition in mice suppress hepatic and circulating levels of N5-methylglutamine. This alternative activity of GS was confirmed in human recombinant enzyme and cells, where a pathogenic mutation in the active site (R324C) promoted the synthesis of N5-methylglutamine over glutamine. N5-methylglutamine is detected in the circulation, and its levels are sustained by the microbiome, as demonstrated by using germ-free mice. Finally, we show that urine levels of N5-methylglutamine correlate with tumor burden and GS expression in a ß-catenin-driven model of liver cancer, highlighting the translational potential of this uncharacterized metabolite.


Subject(s)
Glutamine , Neoplasms , Humans , Mice , Animals , Glutamine/metabolism , Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase/genetics , Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase/metabolism , Ammonia , Glutamic Acid/metabolism , Liver/metabolism , Neoplasms/metabolism , Homeostasis , Mammals
13.
Mol Psychiatry ; 29(5): 1382-1391, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38273110

ABSTRACT

Deficient gamma oscillations in prefrontal cortex (PFC) of individuals with schizophrenia appear to involve impaired inhibitory drive from parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PVIs). Inhibitory drive from PVIs is regulated, in part, by RNA binding fox-1 homolog 1 (Rbfox1). Rbfox1 is spliced into nuclear or cytoplasmic isoforms, which regulate alternative splicing or stability of their target transcripts, respectively. One major target of cytoplasmic Rbfox1 is vesicle associated membrane protein 1 (Vamp1). Vamp1 mediates GABA release probability from PVIs, and the loss of Rbfox1 reduces Vamp1 levels which in turn impairs cortical inhibition. In this study, we investigated if the Rbfox1-Vamp1 pathway is altered in PVIs in PFC of individuals with schizophrenia by utilizing a novel strategy that combines multi-label in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. In the PFC of 20 matched pairs of schizophrenia and comparison subjects, cytoplasmic Rbfox1 protein levels were significantly lower in PVIs in schizophrenia and this deficit was not attributable to potential methodological confounds or schizophrenia-associated co-occurring factors. In a subset of this cohort, Vamp1 mRNA levels in PVIs were also significantly lower in schizophrenia and were predicted by lower cytoplasmic Rbfox1 protein levels across individual PVIs. To investigate the functional impact of Rbfox1-Vamp1 alterations in schizophrenia, we simulated the effect of lower GABA release probability from PVIs on gamma power in a computational model network of pyramidal neurons and PVIs. Our simulations showed that lower GABA release probability reduces gamma power by disrupting network synchrony while minimally affecting network activity. Finally, lower GABA release probability synergistically interacted with lower strength of inhibition from PVIs in schizophrenia to reduce gamma power non-linearly. Together, our findings suggest that the Rbfox1-Vamp1 pathway in PVIs is impaired in schizophrenia and that this alteration likely contributes to deficient PFC gamma power in the illness.


Subject(s)
Interneurons , Prefrontal Cortex , RNA Splicing Factors , Schizophrenia , Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 1 , Prefrontal Cortex/metabolism , Humans , Schizophrenia/metabolism , Schizophrenia/genetics , Schizophrenia/physiopathology , RNA Splicing Factors/metabolism , RNA Splicing Factors/genetics , Male , Female , Adult , Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 1/metabolism , Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 1/genetics , Middle Aged , Interneurons/metabolism , Parvalbumins/metabolism , gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/metabolism , Signal Transduction/physiology , Gamma Rhythm/physiology , RNA, Messenger/metabolism
14.
Neurobiol Dis ; 191: 106394, 2024 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38176569

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) dysfunction in schizophrenia appears to reflect alterations in layer 3 pyramidal neurons (L3PNs), including smaller cell bodies and lower expression of mitochondrial energy production genes. However, prior somal size studies used biased strategies for identifying L3PNs, and somal size and levels of energy production markers have not been assessed in individual L3PNs. STUDY DESIGN: We combined fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) of vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1) mRNA and immunohistochemical-labeling of NeuN to determine if the cytoplasmic distribution of VGLUT1 mRNA permits the unbiased identification and somal size quantification of L3PNs. Dual-label FISH for VGLUT1 mRNA and cytochrome C oxidase subunit 4I1 (COX4I1) mRNA, a marker of energy production, was used to assess somal size and COX4I1 transcript levels in individual DLPFC L3PNs from schizophrenia (12 males; 2 females) and unaffected comparison (13 males; 1 female) subjects. STUDY RESULTS: Measures of L3PN somal size with NeuN immunohistochemistry or VGLUT1 mRNA provided nearly identical results (ICC = 0.96, p < 0.0001). Mean somal size of VGLUT1-identified L3PNs was 8.7% smaller (p = 0.004) and mean COX4I1 mRNA levels per L3PN were 16.7% lower (p = 0.01) in schizophrenia. These measures were correlated across individual L3PNs in both subject groups (rrm = 0.81-0.86). CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study presents a novel method for combining unbiased neuronal identification with quantitative assessments of somal size and mRNA levels. We replicated findings of smaller somal size and lower COX4I1 mRNA levels in DLPFC L3PNs in schizophrenia. The normal scaling of COX4I1 mRNA levels with somal size in schizophrenia suggests that lower markers of energy production are secondary to L3PN morphological alterations in the illness.


Subject(s)
Schizophrenia , Male , Humans , Female , In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence , Prefrontal Cortex , Pyramidal Cells , RNA, Messenger
15.
Hum Mol Genet ; 31(12): 2049-2062, 2022 06 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35024855

ABSTRACT

The SLC25A26 gene encodes a mitochondrial inner membrane carrier that transports S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) into the mitochondrial matrix in exchange for S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH). SAM is the predominant methyl-group donor for most cellular methylation processes, of which SAH is produced as a by-product. Pathogenic, biallelic SLC25A26 variants are a recognized cause of mitochondrial disease in children, with a severe neonatal onset caused by decreased SAM transport activity. Here, we describe two, unrelated adult cases, one of whom presented with recurrent episodes of severe abdominal pain and metabolic decompensation with lactic acidosis. Both patients had exercise intolerance and mitochondrial myopathy associated with biallelic variants in SLC25A26, which led to marked respiratory chain deficiencies and mitochondrial histopathological abnormalities in skeletal muscle that are comparable to those previously described in early-onset cases. We demonstrate using both mouse and fruit fly models that impairment of SAH, rather than SAM, transport across the mitochondrial membrane is likely the cause of this milder, late-onset phenotype. Our findings associate a novel pathomechanism with a known disease-causing protein and highlight the quests of precision medicine in optimizing diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and prognosis.


Subject(s)
Mitochondrial Diseases , S-Adenosylhomocysteine , Animals , Methylation , Mice , Mitochondria/genetics , Mitochondria/metabolism , Mitochondrial Diseases/metabolism , S-Adenosylhomocysteine/metabolism , S-Adenosylmethionine/metabolism
16.
N Engl J Med ; 384(25): 2418-2427, 2021 06 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34161706

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Rectal chlamydia is a common bacterial sexually transmissible infection among men who have sex with men. Data from randomized, controlled trials are needed to guide treatment. METHODS: In this double-blind trial conducted at five sexual health clinics in Australia, we randomly assigned men who have sex with men and who had asymptomatic rectal chlamydia to receive doxycycline (100 mg twice daily for 7 days) or azithromycin (1-g single dose). Asymptomatic chlamydia was selected as the trial focus because more than 85% of men with rectal chlamydia infection are asymptomatic, and clinical guidelines recommend a longer treatment course for symptomatic infection. The primary outcome was a negative nucleic acid amplification test for rectal chlamydia (microbiologic cure) at 4 weeks. RESULTS: From August 2016 through August 2019, we enrolled 625 men (314 in the doxycycline group and 311 in the azithromycin group). Primary outcome data were available for 290 men (92.4%) in the doxycycline group and 297 (95.5%) in the azithromycin group. In the modified intention-to-treat population, a microbiologic cure occurred in 281 of 290 men (96.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 94.9 to 98.9) in the doxycycline group and in 227 of 297 (76.4%; 95% CI, 73.8 to 79.1) in the azithromycin group, for an adjusted risk difference of 19.9 percentage points (95% CI, 14.6 to 25.3; P<0.001). Adverse events that included nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting were reported in 98 men (33.8%) in the doxycycline group and in 134 (45.1%) in the azithromycin group (risk difference, -11.3 percentage points; 95% CI, -19.5 to -3.2). CONCLUSIONS: A 7-day course of doxycycline was superior to single-dose azithromycin in the treatment of rectal chlamydia infection among men who have sex with men. (Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council; RTS Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number, ACTRN12614001125617.).


Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Azithromycin/therapeutic use , Chlamydia Infections/drug therapy , Chlamydia trachomatis/isolation & purification , Doxycycline/therapeutic use , Rectal Diseases/drug therapy , Adult , Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage , Anti-Bacterial Agents/adverse effects , Asymptomatic Infections , Australia , Azithromycin/administration & dosage , Azithromycin/adverse effects , Double-Blind Method , Doxycycline/administration & dosage , Doxycycline/adverse effects , Homosexuality, Male , Humans , Intention to Treat Analysis , Male , Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques , Rectal Diseases/microbiology , Rectum/microbiology
17.
Small ; : e2401891, 2024 Jul 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39004881

ABSTRACT

Various polytypes of van der Waals (vdW) materials can be formed by sulfur and tin, which exhibit distinctive and complementary electronic properties. Hence, these materials are attractive candidates for the design of multifunctional devices. This work demonstrates direct selective growth of tin sulfides by laser irradiation. A 532 nm continuous wave laser is used to synthesize centimeter-scale tin sulfide tracks from single source precursor tin(II) o-ethylxanthate under ambient conditions. Modulation of laser irradiation conditions enables tuning of the dominant phase of tin sulfide as well as SnS2/SnS heterostructures formation. An in-depth investigation of the morphological, structural, and compositional characteristics of the laser-synthesized tin sulfide microstructures is reported. Furthermore, laser-synthesized tin sulfides photodetectors show broad spectral response with relatively high photoresponsivity up to 4 AW-1 and fast switching time (τ rise = 1.8 ms and τ fall = 16 ms). This approach is versatile and can be exploited in various fields such as energy conversion and storage, catalysis, chemical sensors, and optoelectronics.

18.
New Phytol ; 242(5): 2270-2284, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38532557

ABSTRACT

Floral nectar composition beyond common sugars shows great diversity but contributing genetic factors are generally unknown. Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) is renowned for the antimicrobial compound methylglyoxal in its derived honey, which originates from the precursor, dihydroxyacetone (DHA), accumulating in the nectar. Although this nectar trait is highly variable, genetic contribution to the trait is unclear. Therefore, we investigated key gene(s) and genomic regions underpinning this trait. We used RNAseq analysis to identify nectary-associated genes differentially expressed between high and low nectar DHA genotypes. We also used a manuka high-density linkage map and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping population, supported by an improved genome assembly, to reveal genetic regions associated with nectar DHA content. Expression and QTL analyses both pointed to the involvement of a phosphatase gene, LsSgpp2. The expression pattern of LsSgpp2 correlated with nectar DHA accumulation, and it co-located with a QTL on chromosome 4. The identification of three QTLs, some of the first reported for a plant nectar trait, indicates polygenic control of DHA content. We have established plant genetics as a key influence on DHA accumulation. The data suggest the hypothesis of LsSGPP2 releasing DHA from DHA-phosphate and variability in LsSgpp2 gene expression contributing to the trait variability.


Subject(s)
Dihydroxyacetone , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant , Leptospermum , Plant Nectar , Quantitative Trait Loci , Quantitative Trait Loci/genetics , Plant Nectar/metabolism , Dihydroxyacetone/metabolism , Leptospermum/metabolism , Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases/genetics , Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases/metabolism , Genes, Plant , Genotype , Chromosome Mapping , Chromosomes, Plant/genetics , Plant Proteins/genetics , Plant Proteins/metabolism
19.
Mol Psychiatry ; 28(11): 4777-4792, 2023 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37674018

ABSTRACT

Opioid craving and relapse vulnerability is associated with severe and persistent sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions. Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of circadian rhythms and opioid use disorder (OUD) may prove valuable for developing new treatments for opioid addiction. Previous work indicated molecular rhythm disruptions in the human brain associated with OUD, highlighting synaptic alterations in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc)-key brain regions involved in cognition and reward, and heavily implicated in the pathophysiology of OUD. To provide further insights into the synaptic alterations in OUD, we used mass-spectrometry based proteomics to deeply profile protein expression alterations in bulk tissue and synaptosome preparations from DLPFC and NAc of unaffected and OUD subjects. We identified 55 differentially expressed (DE) proteins in DLPFC homogenates, and 44 DE proteins in NAc homogenates, between unaffected and OUD subjects. In synaptosomes, we identified 161 and 56 DE proteins in DLPFC and NAc, respectively, of OUD subjects. By comparing homogenate and synaptosome protein expression, we identified proteins enriched specifically in synapses that were significantly altered in both DLPFC and NAc of OUD subjects. Across brain regions, synaptic protein alterations in OUD subjects were primarily identified in glutamate, GABA, and circadian rhythm signaling. Using time-of-death (TOD) analyses, where the TOD of each subject is used as a time-point across a 24-h cycle, we were able to map circadian-related changes associated with OUD in synaptic proteomes associated with vesicle-mediated transport and membrane trafficking in the NAc and platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta signaling in DLPFC. Collectively, our findings lend further support for molecular rhythm disruptions in synaptic signaling in the human brain as a key factor in opioid addiction.


Subject(s)
Nucleus Accumbens , Opioid-Related Disorders , Humans , Nucleus Accumbens/metabolism , Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex , Proteome/metabolism , Circadian Rhythm , Opioid-Related Disorders/metabolism , Prefrontal Cortex/metabolism
20.
Langmuir ; 40(13): 6685-6693, 2024 Apr 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38525517

ABSTRACT

Understanding the mechanism of interfacial enzyme kinetics is critical to the development of synthetic biological systems for the production of value-added chemicals. Here, the interfacial kinetics of the catalysis of ß-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent enzymes acting on NAD+ tethered to the surface of silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) has been investigated using two complementary and supporting kinetic approaches: enzyme excess and reactant (NAD+) excess. Kinetic models developed for these two approaches characterize several critical reaction steps including reversible enzyme adsorption, complexation, decomplexation, and catalysis of the surface-bound enzyme/NAD+ complex. The analysis reveals a concentrating effect resulting in a very high local concentration of enzyme and cofactor on the particle surface, in which the enzyme is saturated by surface-bound NAD, facilitating a rate enhancement of enzyme/NAD+ complexation and catalysis. This resulted in high enzyme efficiency within the tethered NAD+ system compared to that of the free enzyme/NAD+ system, which increases with decreasing enzyme concentration. The role of enzyme adsorption onto solid substrates with a tethered catalyst (such as NAD+) has potential for creating highly efficient flow biocatalytic systems.


Subject(s)
NAD , NAD/chemistry , Biocatalysis , Catalysis , Kinetics , Adsorption
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