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1.
Cell ; 186(10): 2092-2110.e23, 2023 05 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37172563

ABSTRACT

The third and fourth weeks of gestation in primates are marked by several developmental milestones, including gastrulation and the formation of organ primordia. However, our understanding of this period is limited due to restricted access to in vivo embryos. To address this gap, we developed an embedded 3D culture system that allows for the extended ex utero culture of cynomolgus monkey embryos for up to 25 days post-fertilization. Morphological, histological, and single-cell RNA-sequencing analyses demonstrate that ex utero cultured monkey embryos largely recapitulated key events of in vivo development. With this platform, we were able to delineate lineage trajectories and genetic programs involved in neural induction, lateral plate mesoderm differentiation, yolk sac hematopoiesis, primitive gut, and primordial germ-cell-like cell development in monkeys. Our embedded 3D culture system provides a robust and reproducible platform for growing monkey embryos from blastocysts to early organogenesis and studying primate embryogenesis ex utero.


Subject(s)
Embryo, Mammalian , Embryonic Development , Animals , Macaca fascicularis , Blastocyst , Organogenesis , Primates
2.
Cell ; 185(6): 949-966.e19, 2022 03 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35247329

ABSTRACT

Beige fat plays key roles in the regulation of systemic energy homeostasis; however, detailed mechanisms and safe strategy for its activation remain elusive. In this study, we discovered that local hyperthermia therapy (LHT) targeting beige fat promoted its activation in humans and mice. LHT achieved using a hydrogel-based photothermal therapy activated beige fat, preventing and treating obesity in mice without adverse effects. HSF1 is required for the effects since HSF1 deficiency blunted the metabolic benefits of LHT. HSF1 regulates Hnrnpa2b1 (A2b1) transcription, leading to increased mRNA stability of key metabolic genes. Importantly, analysis of human association studies followed by functional analysis revealed that the HSF1 gain-of-function variant p.P365T is associated with improved metabolic performance in humans and increased A2b1 transcription in mice and cells. Overall, we demonstrate that LHT offers a promising strategy against obesity by inducing beige fat activation via HSF1-A2B1 transcriptional axis.


Subject(s)
Adipose Tissue, Beige , Adipose Tissue, White , Hyperthermia, Induced , Obesity/therapy , Adipose Tissue, Beige/metabolism , Adipose Tissue, Brown/metabolism , Adipose Tissue, White/metabolism , Animals , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Obesity/metabolism
3.
Cell ; 180(6): 1115-1129.e13, 2020 03 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32200799

ABSTRACT

Influenza A virus (IAV) is a lytic RNA virus that triggers receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 3 (RIPK3)-mediated pathways of apoptosis and mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase (MLKL)-dependent necroptosis in infected cells. ZBP1 initiates RIPK3-driven cell death by sensing IAV RNA and activating RIPK3. Here, we show that replicating IAV generates Z-RNAs, which activate ZBP1 in the nucleus of infected cells. ZBP1 then initiates RIPK3-mediated MLKL activation in the nucleus, resulting in nuclear envelope disruption, leakage of DNA into the cytosol, and eventual necroptosis. Cell death induced by nuclear MLKL was a potent activator of neutrophils, a cell type known to drive inflammatory pathology in virulent IAV disease. Consequently, MLKL-deficient mice manifest reduced nuclear disruption of lung epithelia, decreased neutrophil recruitment into infected lungs, and increased survival following a lethal dose of IAV. These results implicate Z-RNA as a new pathogen-associated molecular pattern and describe a ZBP1-initiated nucleus-to-plasma membrane "inside-out" death pathway with potentially pathogenic consequences in severe cases of influenza.


Subject(s)
Influenza A virus/genetics , Necroptosis/genetics , RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Animals , Apoptosis/genetics , Cell Death/genetics , Cell Line, Tumor , Female , Influenza A virus/metabolism , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Necrosis/metabolism , Phosphorylation , Protein Kinases/metabolism , RNA/metabolism , RNA, Double-Stranded/genetics , RNA, Double-Stranded/metabolism , RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism , Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/physiology
4.
Cell ; 176(5): 1113-1127.e16, 2019 02 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30712867

ABSTRACT

Activating mutations in NRAS account for 20%-30% of melanoma, but despite decades of research and in contrast to BRAF, no effective anti-NRAS therapies have been forthcoming. Here, we identify a previously uncharacterized serine/threonine kinase STK19 as a novel NRAS activator. STK19 phosphorylates NRAS to enhance its binding to its downstream effectors and promotes oncogenic NRAS-mediated melanocyte malignant transformation. A recurrent D89N substitution in STK19 whose alterations were identified in 25% of human melanomas represents a gain-of-function mutation that interacts better with NRAS to enhance melanocyte transformation. STK19D89N knockin leads to skin hyperpigmentation and promotes NRASQ61R-driven melanomagenesis in vivo. Finally, we developed ZT-12-037-01 (1a) as a specific STK19-targeted inhibitor and showed that it effectively blocks oncogenic NRAS-driven melanocyte malignant transformation and melanoma growth in vitro and in vivo. Together, our findings provide a new and viable therapeutic strategy for melanomas harboring NRAS mutations.


Subject(s)
GTP Phosphohydrolases/metabolism , Melanoma/genetics , Membrane Proteins/metabolism , Nuclear Proteins/metabolism , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism , Animals , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Transformation, Neoplastic , Female , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Melanocytes/metabolism , Melanoma/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Nude , Mutation , Phosphorylation , Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf/metabolism , Signal Transduction , Skin Neoplasms/genetics
5.
Cell ; 179(5): 1160-1176.e24, 2019 11 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31730855

ABSTRACT

Pediatric-onset colitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have significant effects on the growth of infants and children, but the etiopathogenesis underlying disease subtypes remains incompletely understood. Here, we report single-cell clustering, immune phenotyping, and risk gene analysis for children with undifferentiated colitis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. We demonstrate disease-specific characteristics, as well as common pathogenesis marked by impaired cyclic AMP (cAMP)-response signaling. Specifically, infiltration of PDE4B- and TNF-expressing macrophages, decreased abundance of CD39-expressing intraepithelial T cells, and platelet aggregation and release of 5-hydroxytryptamine at the colonic mucosae were common in colitis and IBD patients. Targeting these pathways by using the phosphodiesterase inhibitor dipyridamole restored immune homeostasis and improved colitis symptoms in a pilot study. In summary, comprehensive analysis of the colonic mucosae has uncovered common pathogenesis and therapeutic targets for children with colitis and IBD.


Subject(s)
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/pathology , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/therapy , Intestinal Mucosa/pathology , Antigens, CD/metabolism , Apyrase/metabolism , B-Lymphocytes/drug effects , B-Lymphocytes/immunology , Cell Death/drug effects , Cellular Microenvironment/drug effects , Child , Cohort Studies , Colon/pathology , Dendritic Cells/drug effects , Dendritic Cells/metabolism , Dipyridamole/pharmacology , Endothelial Cells/drug effects , Endothelial Cells/metabolism , Epithelial Cells/drug effects , Epithelial Cells/metabolism , Epithelial Cells/pathology , Fibroblasts/drug effects , Fibroblasts/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Homeostasis/drug effects , Humans , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Immunologic Memory , Inflammation/pathology , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/blood , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/genetics , Interferon Type I/metabolism , Macrophages/drug effects , Macrophages/metabolism , Methylprednisolone/pharmacology , Myeloid Cells/drug effects , Myeloid Cells/metabolism
6.
Nat Immunol ; 22(6): 699-710, 2021 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34040226

ABSTRACT

It is increasingly recognized that immune development within mucosal tissues is under the control of environmental factors during early life. However, the cellular mechanisms that underlie such temporally and regionally restrictive governance of these processes are unclear. Here, we uncover an extrathymic pathway of immune development within the colon that is controlled by embryonic but not bone marrow-derived macrophages, which determines the ability of these organs to receive invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells and allow them to establish local residency. Consequently, early-life perturbations of fetal-derived macrophages result in persistent decreases of mucosal iNKT cells and is associated with later-life susceptibility or resistance to iNKT cell-associated mucosal disorders. These studies uncover a host developmental program orchestrated by ontogenically distinct macrophages that is regulated by microbiota, and they reveal an important postnatal function of macrophages that emerge in fetal life.


Subject(s)
Colitis/immunology , Intestinal Mucosa/immunology , Listeriosis/immunology , Macrophages/immunology , Mucosal-Associated Invariant T Cells/immunology , Animals , Cell Proliferation/genetics , Colitis/microbiology , Colitis/pathology , Colon/cytology , Colon/embryology , Colon/immunology , Colon/pathology , Cytokines/metabolism , Diphtheria Toxin/administration & dosage , Diphtheria Toxin/immunology , Disease Models, Animal , Embryo, Mammalian , Female , Gastrointestinal Microbiome/immunology , Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/immunology , Germ-Free Life , Humans , Intestinal Mucosa/cytology , Intestinal Mucosa/embryology , Intestinal Mucosa/pathology , Listeriosis/microbiology , Listeriosis/pathology , Macrophages/metabolism , Male , Membrane Proteins/genetics , Mice , Mice, Knockout , RNA-Seq , Signal Transduction/genetics , Signal Transduction/immunology
7.
Nature ; 628(8009): 835-843, 2024 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38600381

ABSTRACT

Severe influenza A virus (IAV) infections can result in hyper-inflammation, lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome1-5 (ARDS), for which there are no effective pharmacological therapies. Necroptosis is an attractive entry point for therapeutic intervention in ARDS and related inflammatory conditions because it drives pathogenic lung inflammation and lethality during severe IAV infection6-8 and can potentially be targeted by receptor interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) inhibitors. Here we show that a newly developed RIPK3 inhibitor, UH15-38, potently and selectively blocked IAV-triggered necroptosis in alveolar epithelial cells in vivo. UH15-38 ameliorated lung inflammation and prevented mortality following infection with laboratory-adapted and pandemic strains of IAV, without compromising antiviral adaptive immune responses or impeding viral clearance. UH15-38 displayed robust therapeutic efficacy even when administered late in the course of infection, suggesting that RIPK3 blockade may provide clinical benefit in patients with IAV-driven ARDS and other hyper-inflammatory pathologies.


Subject(s)
Lung Injury , Necroptosis , Orthomyxoviridae Infections , Protein Kinase Inhibitors , Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases , Animals , Female , Humans , Male , Mice , Alveolar Epithelial Cells/pathology , Alveolar Epithelial Cells/drug effects , Alveolar Epithelial Cells/virology , Alveolar Epithelial Cells/metabolism , Influenza A virus/classification , Influenza A virus/drug effects , Influenza A virus/immunology , Influenza A virus/pathogenicity , Lung Injury/complications , Lung Injury/pathology , Lung Injury/prevention & control , Lung Injury/virology , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Necroptosis/drug effects , Orthomyxoviridae Infections/complications , Orthomyxoviridae Infections/drug therapy , Orthomyxoviridae Infections/immunology , Orthomyxoviridae Infections/mortality , Orthomyxoviridae Infections/virology , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/administration & dosage , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/pharmacology , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism , Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/complications , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/pathology , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/prevention & control , Respiratory Distress Syndrome/virology
8.
Nature ; 622(7983): 619-626, 2023 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37758950

ABSTRACT

Postnatal maturation of cardiomyocytes is characterized by a metabolic switch from glycolysis to fatty acid oxidation, chromatin reconfiguration and exit from the cell cycle, instating a barrier for adult heart regeneration1,2. Here, to explore whether metabolic reprogramming can overcome this barrier and enable heart regeneration, we abrogate fatty acid oxidation in cardiomyocytes by inactivation of Cpt1b. We find that disablement of fatty acid oxidation in cardiomyocytes improves resistance to hypoxia and stimulates cardiomyocyte proliferation, allowing heart regeneration after ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Metabolic studies reveal profound changes in energy metabolism and accumulation of α-ketoglutarate in Cpt1b-mutant cardiomyocytes, leading to activation of the α-ketoglutarate-dependent lysine demethylase KDM5 (ref. 3). Activated KDM5 demethylates broad H3K4me3 domains in genes that drive cardiomyocyte maturation, lowering their transcription levels and shifting cardiomyocytes into a less mature state, thereby promoting proliferation. We conclude that metabolic maturation shapes the epigenetic landscape of cardiomyocytes, creating a roadblock for further cell divisions. Reversal of this process allows repair of damaged hearts.


Subject(s)
Cellular Reprogramming , Fatty Acids , Heart , Regeneration , Animals , Mice , Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase/deficiency , Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase/genetics , Cell Hypoxia , Cell Proliferation , Energy Metabolism , Enzyme Activation , Epigenesis, Genetic , Fatty Acids/metabolism , Heart/physiology , Histone Demethylases/metabolism , Ketoglutaric Acids/metabolism , Mutation , Myocardium , Myocytes, Cardiac/cytology , Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism , Oxidation-Reduction , Regeneration/physiology , Reperfusion Injury , Transcription, Genetic
9.
Nature ; 606(7914): 594-602, 2022 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35614224

ABSTRACT

Only a small proportion of patients with cancer show lasting responses to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB)-based monotherapies. The RNA-editing enzyme ADAR1 is an emerging determinant of resistance to ICB therapy and prevents ICB responsiveness by repressing immunogenic double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), such as those arising from the dysregulated expression of endogenous retroviral elements (EREs)1-4. These dsRNAs trigger an interferon-dependent antitumour response by activating A-form dsRNA (A-RNA)-sensing proteins such as MDA-5 and PKR5. Here we show that ADAR1 also prevents the accrual of endogenous Z-form dsRNA elements (Z-RNAs), which were enriched in the 3' untranslated regions of interferon-stimulated mRNAs. Depletion or mutation of ADAR1 resulted in Z-RNA accumulation and activation of the Z-RNA sensor ZBP1, which culminated in RIPK3-mediated necroptosis. As no clinically viable ADAR1 inhibitors currently exist, we searched for a compound that can override the requirement for ADAR1 inhibition and directly activate ZBP1. We identified a small molecule, the curaxin CBL0137, which potently activates ZBP1 by triggering Z-DNA formation in cells. CBL0137 induced ZBP1-dependent necroptosis in cancer-associated fibroblasts and reversed ICB unresponsiveness in mouse models of melanoma. Collectively, these results demonstrate that ADAR1 represses endogenous Z-RNAs and identifies ZBP1-mediated necroptosis as a new determinant of tumour immunogenicity masked by ADAR1. Therapeutic activation of ZBP1-induced necroptosis provides a readily translatable avenue for rekindling the immune responsiveness of ICB-resistant human cancers.


Subject(s)
Adenosine Deaminase , Necroptosis , Neoplasms , RNA-Binding Proteins , 3' Untranslated Regions , Adenosine Deaminase/metabolism , Animals , Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts , Carbazoles/pharmacology , Humans , Immunotherapy/trends , Interferons/metabolism , Melanoma , Mice , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Neoplasms/genetics , Neoplasms/pathology , RNA, Double-Stranded/immunology , RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism
10.
Plant Cell ; 36(5): 1777-1790, 2024 May 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38190205

ABSTRACT

Crown roots are the main components of root systems in cereals. Elucidating the mechanisms of crown root formation is instrumental for improving nutrient absorption, stress tolerance, and yield in cereal crops. Several members of the WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) and lateral organ boundaries domain (LBD) transcription factor families play essential roles in controlling crown root development in rice (Oryza sativa). However, the functional relationships among these transcription factors in regulating genes involved in crown root development remain unclear. Here, we identified LBD16 as an additional regulator of rice crown root development. We showed that LBD16 is a direct downstream target of WOX11, a key crown root development regulator in rice. Our results indicated that WOX11 enhances LBD16 transcription by binding to its promoter and recruiting its interaction partner JMJ706, a demethylase that removes histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2) from the LBD16 locus. In addition, we established that LBD16 interacts with WOX11, thereby impairing JMJ706-WOX11 complex formation and repressing its own transcriptional activity. Together, our results reveal a feedback system regulating genes that orchestrate crown root development in rice, in which LBD16 acts as a molecular rheostat.


Subject(s)
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant , Oryza , Plant Proteins , Plant Roots , Transcription Factors , Oryza/genetics , Oryza/growth & development , Oryza/metabolism , Plant Roots/growth & development , Plant Roots/genetics , Plant Roots/metabolism , Plant Proteins/metabolism , Plant Proteins/genetics , Transcription Factors/metabolism , Transcription Factors/genetics , Histone Demethylases/metabolism , Histone Demethylases/genetics , Promoter Regions, Genetic/genetics
11.
Brief Bioinform ; 25(3)2024 Mar 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38622358

ABSTRACT

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant mRNA modification within mammalian cells, holding pivotal significance in the regulation of mRNA stability, translation and splicing. Furthermore, it plays a critical role in the regulation of RNA degradation by primarily recruiting the YTHDF2 reader protein. However, the selective regulation of mRNA decay of the m6A-methylated mRNA through YTHDF2 binding is poorly understood. To improve our understanding, we developed m6A-BERT-Deg, a BERT model adapted for predicting YTHDF2-mediated degradation of m6A-methylated mRNAs. We meticulously assembled a high-quality training dataset by integrating multiple data sources for the HeLa cell line. To overcome the limitation of small training samples, we employed a pre-training-fine-tuning strategy by first performing a self-supervised pre-training of the model on 427 760 unlabeled m6A site sequences. The test results demonstrated the importance of this pre-training strategy in enabling m6A-BERT-Deg to outperform other benchmark models. We further conducted a comprehensive model interpretation and revealed a surprising finding that the presence of co-factors in proximity to m6A sites may disrupt YTHDF2-mediated mRNA degradation, subsequently enhancing mRNA stability. We also extended our analyses to the HEK293 cell line, shedding light on the context-dependent YTHDF2-mediated mRNA degradation.


Subject(s)
Adenine , RNA-Binding Proteins , Transcription Factors , Animals , Humans , HEK293 Cells , HeLa Cells , RNA Stability , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Transcription Factors/metabolism
12.
Nat Immunol ; 15(7): 612-22, 2014 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24859449

ABSTRACT

Excessive activation of dendritic cells (DCs) leads to the development of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, which has prompted a search for regulators of DC activation. Here we report that Rhbdd3, a member of the rhomboid family of proteases, suppressed the activation of DCs and production of interleukin 6 (IL-6) triggered by Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Rhbdd3-deficient mice spontaneously developed autoimmune diseases characterized by an increased abundance of the TH17 subset of helper T cells and decreased number of regulatory T cells due to the increase in IL-6 from DCs. Rhbdd3 directly bound to Lys27 (K27)-linked polyubiquitin chains on Lys302 of the modulator NEMO (IKKγ) via the ubiquitin-binding-association (UBA) domain in endosomes. Rhbdd3 further recruited the deubiquitinase A20 via K27-linked polyubiquitin chains on Lys268 to inhibit K63-linked polyubiquitination of NEMO and thus suppressed activation of the transcription factor NF-κB in DCs. Our data identify Rhbdd3 as a critical regulator of DC activation and indicate K27-linked polyubiquitination is a potent ubiquitin-linked pattern involved in the control of autoimmunity.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/physiology , Autoimmunity , Dendritic Cells/immunology , Interleukin-6/biosynthesis , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/metabolism , Ubiquitination , Animals , Interleukin-6/antagonists & inhibitors , Lysine/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , NF-kappa B/physiology , Protein Structure, Tertiary , T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Toll-Like Receptors/physiology
13.
Circ Res ; 134(1): 60-80, 2024 01 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38084631

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs play significant roles in vascular biology and disease development. One such long noncoding RNA, PSMB8-AS1, has been implicated in the development of tumors. Nevertheless, the precise role of PSMB8-AS1 in cardiovascular diseases, particularly atherosclerosis, has not been thoroughly elucidated. Thus, the primary aim of this investigation is to assess the influence of PSMB8-AS1 on vascular inflammation and the initiation of atherosclerosis. METHODS: We generated PSMB8-AS1 knockin and Apoe (Apolipoprotein E) knockout mice (Apoe-/-PSMB8-AS1KI) and global Apoe and proteasome subunit-ß type-9 (Psmb9) double knockout mice (Apoe-/-Psmb9-/-). To explore the roles of PSMB8-AS1 and Psmb9 in atherosclerosis, we fed the mice with a Western diet for 12 weeks. RESULTS: Long noncoding RNA PSMB8-AS1 is significantly elevated in human atherosclerotic plaques. Strikingly, Apoe-/-PSMB8-AS1KI mice exhibited increased atherosclerosis development, plaque vulnerability, and vascular inflammation compared with Apoe-/- mice. Moreover, the levels of VCAM1 (vascular adhesion molecule 1) and ICAM1 (intracellular adhesion molecule 1) were significantly upregulated in atherosclerotic lesions and serum of Apoe-/-PSMB8-AS1KI mice. Consistently, in vitro gain- and loss-of-function studies demonstrated that PSMB8-AS1 induced monocyte/macrophage adhesion to endothelial cells and increased VCAM1 and ICAM1 levels in a PSMB9-dependent manner. Mechanistic studies revealed that PSMB8-AS1 induced PSMB9 transcription by recruiting the transcription factor NONO (non-POU domain-containing octamer-binding protein) and binding to the PSMB9 promoter. PSMB9 (proteasome subunit-ß type-9) elevated VCAM1 and ICAM1 expression via the upregulation of ZEB1 (zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1). Psmb9 deficiency decreased atherosclerotic lesion size, plaque vulnerability, and vascular inflammation in Apoe-/- mice in vivo. Importantly, endothelial overexpression of PSMB8-AS1-increased atherosclerosis and vascular inflammation were attenuated by Psmb9 knockout. CONCLUSIONS: PSMB8-AS1 promotes vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis via the NONO/PSMB9/ZEB1 axis. Our findings support the development of new long noncoding RNA-based strategies to counteract atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.


Subject(s)
Atherosclerosis , Plaque, Atherosclerotic , RNA, Long Noncoding , Animals , Humans , Mice , Apolipoproteins E/genetics , Atherosclerosis/metabolism , Endothelial Cells/metabolism , Inflammation/genetics , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Knockout , Plaque, Atherosclerotic/pathology , Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/genetics , RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics , RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism
14.
Nucleic Acids Res ; 52(D1): D1010-D1017, 2024 Jan 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37791879

ABSTRACT

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous genetic variants associated with diseases and traits. However, the functional interpretation of these variants remains challenging. Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) have been widely used to identify mutations linked to disease, yet they explain only 20-50% of disease-related variants. Single-cell eQTLs (sc-eQTLs) studies provide an immense opportunity to identify new disease risk genes with expanded eQTL scales and transcriptional regulation at a much finer resolution. However, there is no comprehensive database dedicated to single-cell eQTLs that users can use to search, analyse and visualize them. Therefore, we developed the scQTLbase (http://bioinfo.szbl.ac.cn/scQTLbase), the first integrated human sc-eQTLs portal, featuring 304 datasets spanning 57 cell types and 95 cell states. It contains ∼16 million SNPs significantly associated with cell-type/state gene expression and ∼0.69 million disease-associated sc-eQTLs from 3 333 traits/diseases. In addition, scQTLbase offers sc-eQTL search, gene expression visualization in UMAP plots, a genome browser, and colocalization visualization based on the GWAS dataset of interest. scQTLbase provides a one-stop portal for sc-eQTLs that will significantly advance the discovery of disease susceptibility genes.


Subject(s)
Databases, Genetic , Genome-Wide Association Study , Quantitative Trait Loci , Humans , Gene Expression Regulation , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Phenotype , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Quantitative Trait Loci/genetics
15.
Nucleic Acids Res ; 52(D1): D770-D776, 2024 Jan 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37930838

ABSTRACT

Rhinovirus (RV), a prominent causative agent of both upper and lower respiratory diseases, ranks among the most prevalent human respiratory viruses. RV infections are associated with various illnesses, including colds, asthma exacerbations, croup and pneumonia, imposing significant and extended societal burdens. Characterized by a high mutation rate and genomic diversity, RV displays a diverse serological landscape, encompassing a total of 174 serotypes identified to date. Understanding RV genetic diversity is crucial for epidemiological surveillance and investigation of respiratory diseases. This study introduces a comprehensive and high-quality RV data resource, designated RVdb (http://rvdb.mgc.ac.cn), covering 26 909 currently identified RV strains, along with RV-related sequences, 3D protein structures and publications. Furthermore, this resource features a suite of web-based utilities optimized for easy browsing and searching, as well as automatic sequence annotation, multiple sequence alignment (MSA), phylogenetic tree construction, RVdb BLAST and a serotyping pipeline. Equipped with a user-friendly interface and integrated online bioinformatics tools, RVdb provides a convenient and powerful platform on which to analyse the genetic characteristics of RVs. Additionally, RVdb also supports the efforts of virologists and epidemiologists to monitor and trace both existing and emerging RV-related infectious conditions in a public health context.


Subject(s)
Asthma , Enterovirus Infections , Picornaviridae Infections , Rhinovirus , Humans , Genomics , Phylogeny , Picornaviridae Infections/genetics , Rhinovirus/genetics
16.
Plant J ; 117(5): 1517-1527, 2024 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38047628

ABSTRACT

Elaborate cell-cycle control must be adopted to ensure the continuity of the meiotic second division and termination after that. Despite its importance, however, the genetic controls underlying the meiotic cell cycle have not been reported in maize. Here, we characterized a meiotic cell-cycle controller ZmTDM1, which is a homolog of Arabidopsis TDM1 and encodes a canonical tetratricopeptide repeat domain protein in maize. The Zmtdm1 homozygous plants exhibited complete male sterility and severe female abortion. In Zmtdm1 mutants, cell-cycle progression was almost identical to that of wild type from leptotene to anaphase II. However, chromosomes in the tetrad failed meiotic termination at the end of the second division and underwent additional divisions in succession without DNA replication, reducing the ploidy to less than haploid in the product. In addition, two ZmTDM1-like homologs (ZmTDML1 and ZmTDML2) were not functional in meiotic cell-cycle control. Moreover, ZmTDM1 interacted with RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase, revealing that it acts as a subunit of the APC/C E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. Overall, our results identified a regulator of meiotic cell cycle in maize and demonstrated that ZmTDM1 is essential for meiotic exit after meiosis II.


Subject(s)
Arabidopsis , Zea mays , Zea mays/genetics , Zea mays/metabolism , Anaphase-Promoting Complex-Cyclosome/genetics , Anaphase-Promoting Complex-Cyclosome/metabolism , Tetratricopeptide Repeat , Meiosis/genetics , Cell Cycle Proteins/genetics , Cell Cycle Proteins/metabolism , Arabidopsis/genetics , Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/metabolism
17.
Plant Physiol ; 194(4): 2400-2421, 2024 Mar 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38180123

ABSTRACT

Light-induced de-etiolation is an important aspect of seedling photomorphogenesis. GOLDEN2 LIKE (GLK) transcriptional regulators are involved in chloroplast development, but to what extent they participate in photomorphogenesis is not clear. Here, we show that ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5) binds to GLK promoters to activate their expression, and also interacts with GLK proteins in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The chlorophyll content in the de-etiolating Arabidopsis seedlings of the hy5 glk2 double mutants was lower than that in the hy5 single mutant. GLKs inhibited hypocotyl elongation, and the phenotype could superimpose on the hy5 phenotype. Correspondingly, GLK2 regulated the expression of photosynthesis and cell elongation genes partially independent of HY5. Before exposure to light, DE-ETIOLATED 1 (DET1) affected accumulation of GLK proteins. The enhanced etioplast development and photosystem gene expression observed in the det1 mutant were attenuated in the det1 glk2 double mutant. Our study reveals that GLKs act downstream of HY5, or additive to HY5, and are likely quantitatively adjusted by DET1, to orchestrate multiple developmental traits during the light-induced skotomorphogenesis-to-photomorphogenesis transition in Arabidopsis.


Subject(s)
Arabidopsis Proteins , Arabidopsis , Arabidopsis/metabolism , Arabidopsis Proteins/genetics , Arabidopsis Proteins/metabolism , Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors/genetics , Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant , Hypocotyl , Light , Nuclear Proteins/genetics , Nuclear Proteins/metabolism , Seedlings/metabolism , Transcription Factors/genetics , Transcription Factors/metabolism
18.
Plant Cell ; 34(11): 4313-4328, 2022 10 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35904763

ABSTRACT

Leaf morphology is one of the most important features of the ideal plant architecture. However, the genetic and molecular mechanisms controlling this feature in crops remain largely unknown. Here, we characterized the rice (Oryza sativa) wide leaf 1 (wl1) mutant, which has wider leaves than the wild-type due to more vascular bundles and greater distance between small vascular bundles. WL1 encodes a Cys-2/His-2-type zinc finger protein that interacts with Tillering and Dwarf 1 (TAD1), a co-activator of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) (a multi-subunit E3 ligase). The APC/CTAD1 complex degrades WL1 via the ubiquitin-26S proteasome degradation pathway. Loss-of-function of TAD1 resulted in plants with narrow leaves due to reduced vascular bundle numbers and distance between the small vascular bundles. Interestingly, we found that WL1 negatively regulated the expression of a narrow leaf gene, NARROW LEAF 1 (NAL1), by recruiting the co-repressor TOPLESS-RELATED PROTEIN and directly binding to the NAL1 regulatory region to inhibit its expression by reducing the chromatin histone acetylation. Furthermore, biochemical and genetic analyses revealed that TAD1, WL1, and NAL1 operated in a common pathway to control the leaf width. Our study establishes an important framework for understanding the APC/CTAD1-WL1-NAL1 pathway-mediated control of leaf width in rice, and provides insights for improving crop plant architecture.


Subject(s)
Oryza , Oryza/metabolism , Plant Proteins/genetics , Plant Proteins/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant , Phenotype , Mutation/genetics , Plant Leaves/genetics , Plant Leaves/metabolism
19.
FASEB J ; 38(6): e23575, 2024 Mar 31.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38530256

ABSTRACT

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is one of the primary clinical causes of acute kidney injury (AKI). The key to IRI lies in immune-inflammatory damage, where dendritic cells (DCs) play a central role in eliciting immune responses within the context of inflammation induced by ischemia-reperfusion. Our previous study has confirmed that delayed ischemic preconditioning (DIPC) can reduce the kidney injury by mediating DCs to regulate T-cells. However, the clinical feasibility of DIPC is limited, as pre-clamping of the renal artery is not applicable for the prevention and treatment of ischemia-reperfusion acute kidney injury (I/R-AKI) in clinical patients. Therefore, the infusion of DCs as a substitute for DIPC presents a more viable strategy for preventing renal IRI. In this study, we further evaluated the impact and mechanism of infused tolerogenic CD11c+DCs on the kidneys following IRI by isolating bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and establishing an I/R-AKI model after pre-infusion of DCs. Renal function was significantly improved in the I/R-AKI mouse model after pre-infused with CD11c+DCs. The pro-inflammatory response and oxidative damage were reduced, and the levels of T helper 2 (Th2) cells and related anti-inflammatory cytokines were increased, which was associated with the reduction of autologous DCs maturation mediated by CD11c+DCs and the increase of regulatory T-cells (Tregs). Next, knocking out CD11c+DCs, we found that the reduced immune protection of tolerogenic CD11c+DCs reinfusion was related to the absence of own DCs. Together, pre-infusion of tolerogenic CD11c+DCs can replace the regulatory of DIPC on DCs and T-cells to alleviate I/R-AKI. DC vaccine is expected to be a novel avenue to prevent and treat I/R-AKI.


Subject(s)
Acute Kidney Injury , Ischemic Preconditioning , Reperfusion Injury , Humans , Animals , Mice , Kidney , Ischemia , Acute Kidney Injury/prevention & control , Reperfusion Injury/prevention & control , Reperfusion , Dendritic Cells
20.
Rev Med Virol ; 34(3): e2535, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38610091

ABSTRACT

Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) pose significant threats to global public health by causing a spectrum of diseases ranging from mild febrile illnesses to severe neurological complications. Understanding the intricate interplay between arboviruses and the immune system within the central nervous system is crucial for developing effective strategies to combat these infections and mitigate their neurological sequelae. This review comprehensively explores the mechanisms by which arboviruses such as Zika virus, West Nile virus, and Dengue virus manipulate immune responses within the CNS, leading to diverse clinical manifestations.


Subject(s)
Dengue Virus , West Nile virus , Zika Virus Infection , Zika Virus , Humans , Central Nervous System , Immunity , Zika Virus Infection/complications
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