The SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes BAF and PBAF differentially regulate epigenetic transitions in exhausted CD8+ T cells.

CD8+ T cell exhaustion (Tex) limits disease control during chronic viral infections and cancer. Here, we investigated the epigenetic factors mediating major chromatin-remodeling events in Tex-cell development. A protein-domain-focused in vivo CRISPR screen identified distinct functions for two versions of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex in Tex-cell differentiation. Depletion of the canonical SWI/SNF form, BAF, impaired initial CD8+ T cell responses in acute and chronic infection. In contrast, disruption of PBAF enhanced Tex-cell proliferation and survival. Mechanistically, PBAF regulated the epigenetic and transcriptional transition from TCF-1+ progenitor Tex cells to more differentiated TCF-1- Tex subsets. Whereas PBAF acted to preserve Tex progenitor biology, BAF was required to generate effector-like Tex cells, suggesting that the balance of these factors coordinates Tex-cell subset differentiation. Targeting PBAF improved tumor control both alone and in combination with anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy. Thus, PBAF may present a therapeutic target in cancer immunotherapy.

Connexin43 promotes exocytosis of damaged lysosomes through actin remodelling.

A robust and efficient cellular response to lysosomal membrane damage prevents leakage from the lysosome lumen into the cytoplasm. This response is understood to happen through either lysosomal membrane repair or lysophagy. Here we report exocytosis as a third response mechanism to lysosomal damage, which is further potentiated when membrane repair or lysosomal degradation mechanisms are impaired. We show that Connexin43 (Cx43), a protein canonically associated with gap junctions, is recruited from the plasma membrane to damaged lysosomes, promoting their secretion and accelerating cell recovery. The effects of Cx43 on lysosome exocytosis are mediated by a reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton that increases plasma membrane fluidity and decreases cell stiffness. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Cx43 interacts with the actin nucleator Arp2, the activity of which was shown to be necessary for Cx43-mediated actin rearrangement and lysosomal exocytosis following damage. These results define a novel mechanism of lysosomal quality control whereby Cx43-mediated actin remodelling potentiates the secretion of damaged lysosomes.

Interplay between the plasma membrane and cell-cell adhesion maintains epithelial identity for correct polarised cell divisions.

Polarised epithelial cell divisions represent a fundamental mechanism for tissue maintenance and morphogenesis. Morphological and mechanical changes in the plasma membrane influence the organisation and crosstalk of microtubules and actin at the cell cortex, thereby regulating the mitotic spindle machinery and chromosome segregation. Yet, the precise mechanisms linking plasma membrane remodelling to cell polarity and cortical cytoskeleton dynamics to ensure accurate execution of mitosis in mammalian epithelial cells remain poorly understood. Here, we manipulated the density of mammary epithelial cells in culture, which led to several mitotic defects. Perturbation of cell-cell adhesion formation impairs the dynamics of the plasma membrane, affecting the shape and size of mitotic cells and resulting in defects in mitotic progression and the generation of daughter cells with aberrant architecture. In these conditions, F- actin-astral microtubule crosstalk is impaired, leading to mitotic spindle misassembly and misorientation, which in turn contributes to chromosome mis-segregation. Mechanistically, we identify S100 Ca2+-binding protein A11 (S100A11) as a key membrane-associated regulator that forms a complex with E-cadherin (CDH1) and the leucine-glycine-asparagine repeat protein LGN (also known as GPSM2) to coordinate plasma membrane remodelling with E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion and LGN-dependent mitotic spindle machinery. Thus, plasma membrane-mediated maintenance of mammalian epithelial cell identity is crucial for correct execution of polarised cell divisions, genome maintenance and safeguarding tissue integrity.

Human embryo implantation.

Embryo implantation in humans is interstitial, meaning the entire conceptus embeds in the endometrium before the placental trophoblast invades beyond the uterine mucosa into the underlying inner myometrium. Once implanted, embryo survival pivots on the transformation of the endometrium into an anti-inflammatory placental bed, termed decidua, under homeostatic control of uterine natural killer cells. Here, we examine the evolutionary context of embryo implantation and elaborate on uterine remodelling before and after conception in humans. We also discuss the interactions between the embryo and the decidualising endometrium that regulate interstitial implantation and determine embryo fitness. Together, this Review highlights the precarious but adaptable nature of the implantation process.

TGFß-induced long non-coding RNA LINC00313 activates Wnt signaling and promotes cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinoma is a devastating liver cancer characterized by high aggressiveness and therapy resistance, resulting in poor prognosis. Long non-coding RNAs and signals imposed by oncogenic pathways, such as transforming growth factor ß (TGFß), frequently contribute to cholangiocarcinogenesis. Here, we explore novel effectors of TGFß signalling in cholangiocarcinoma. LINC00313 is identified as a novel TGFß target gene. Gene expression and genome-wide chromatin accessibility profiling reveal that nuclear LINC00313 transcriptionally regulates genes involved in Wnt signalling, such as the transcriptional activator TCF7. LINC00313 gain-of-function enhances TCF/LEF-dependent transcription, promotes colony formation in vitro and accelerates tumour growth in vivo. Genes affected by LINC00313 over-expression in CCA tumours are associated with KRAS and TP53 mutations and reduce overall patient survival. Mechanistically, ACTL6A and BRG1, subunits of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodelling complex, interact with LINC00313 and affect TCF7 and SULF2 transcription. We propose a model whereby TGFß induces LINC00313 in order to regulate the expression of hallmark Wnt pathway genes, in co-operation with SWI/SNF. By modulating key genes of the Wnt pathway, LINC00313 fine-tunes Wnt/TCF/LEF-dependent transcriptional responses and promotes cholangiocarcinogenesis.

The ins and outs of CENP-A: Chromatin dynamics of the centromere-specific histone.

Centromeres are highly specialised chromosome domains defined by the presence of an epigenetic mark, the specific histone H3 variant called CENP-A (centromere protein A). They constitute the genomic regions on which kinetochores form and when defective cause segregation defects that can lead to aneuploidy and cancer. Here, we discuss how CENP-A is established and maintained to propagate centromere identity while subjected to dynamic chromatin remodelling during essential cellular processes like DNA repair, replication, and transcription. We highlight parallels and identify conserved mechanisms between different model organism with a particular focus on 1) the establishment of CENP-A at centromeres, 2) CENP-A maintenance during transcription and replication, and 3) the mechanisms that help preventing CENP-A localization at non-centromeric sites. We then give examples of how timely loading of new CENP-A to the centromere, maintenance of old CENP-A during S-phase and transcription, and removal of CENP-A at non-centromeric sites are coordinated and controlled by an intricate network of factors whose identity is slowly being unravelled.

Strigolactone induces D14-dependent large-scale changes in gene expression requiring SWI/SNF chromatin remodellers.

Strigolactones (SL) function as plant hormones in control of multiple aspects of plant development, mostly via the regulation of gene expression. Immediate early-gene regulation by SL remains unexplored due to difficulty in dissecting early from late gene expression responses to SL. We used synthetic SL, rac-GR24 treatment of protoplasts and RNA-seq to explore early SL-induced changes in gene expression over time (5-180 minutes) and discovered rapid, dynamic and SL receptor D14-dependent regulation of gene expression in response to rac-GR24. Importantly, we discovered a significant dependence of SL signalling on chromatin remodelling processes, as the induction of a key SL-induced transcription factor BRANCHED1 requires the SWI/SNF chromatin remodelling ATPase SPLAYED (SYD) and leads to upregulation of a homologue SWI/SNF ATPase BRAHMA. ATAC-seq profiling of genome-wide changes in chromatin accessibility in response to rac-GR24 identified large-scale changes, with over 1400 differentially accessible regions. These changes in chromatin accessibility often precede transcriptional changes and are likely to harbour SL cis-regulatory elements. Importantly, we discovered that this early and extensive modification of the chromatin landscape also requires SYD. This study, therefore, provides evidence that SL signalling requires regulation of chromatin accessibility, and it identifies genomic locations harbouring likely SL cis-regulatory sequences.

Divergent phenotypes in constitutive versus conditional mutant mouse models of Sifrim-Hitz-Weiss syndrome.

Chromatin remodellers are among the most important risk genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), however, their functions during brain development are not fully understood. Here, we focused on Sifrim-Hitz-Weiss Syndrome (SIHIWES)-an intellectual disability disorder caused by mutations in the CHD4 chromodomain helicase gene. We utilized mouse genetics to excise the Chd4 ATPase/helicase domain-either constitutively, or conditionally in the developing telencephalon. Conditional heterozygotes exhibited no change in cortical size and cellular composition, and had only subtle behavioral phenotypes. Telencephalon-specific conditional knockouts had marked reductions in cortical growth, reduced numbers of upper-layer neurons, and exhibited alterations in anxiety and repetitive behaviors. Despite the fact that whole-body heterozygotes exhibited comparable growth defects, they were unaffected in these behaviors, but instead exhibited female-specific alterations in learning and memory. These data reveal unexpected phenotypic divergence arising from differences in the spatiotemporal deployment of loss-of-function manipulations, underscoring the importance of context in chromatin remodeller function during neurodevelopment.

UMAD1 contributes to ESCRT-III dynamic subunit turnover during cytokinetic abscission.

Abscission is the final stage of cytokinesis whereby the midbody, a thin intercellular bridge, is resolved to separate the daughter cells. Cytokinetic abscission is mediated by the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT), a conserved membrane remodelling machinery. The midbody organiser CEP55 recruits early acting ESCRT factors such as ESCRT-I and ALIX (also known as PDCD6IP), which subsequently initiate the formation of ESCRT-III polymers that sever the midbody. We now identify UMAD1 as an ESCRT-I subunit that facilitates abscission. UMAD1 selectively associates with VPS37C and VPS37B, supporting the formation of cytokinesis-specific ESCRT-I assemblies. TSG101 recruits UMAD1 to the site of midbody abscission, to stabilise the CEP55-ESCRT-I interaction. We further demonstrate that the UMAD1-ESCRT-I interaction facilitates the final step of cytokinesis. Paradoxically, UMAD1 and ALIX co-depletion has synergistic effects on abscission, whereas ESCRT-III recruitment to the midbody is not inhibited. Importantly, we find that both UMAD1 and ALIX are required for the dynamic exchange of ESCRT-III subunits at the midbody. Therefore, UMAD1 reveals a key functional connection between ESCRT-I and ESCRT-III that is required for cytokinesis.

WASp controls oriented migration of endothelial cells to achieve functional vascular patterning.

Endothelial cell migration and proliferation are essential for the establishment of a hierarchical organization of blood vessels and optimal distribution of blood. However, how these cellular processes are quantitatively coordinated to drive vascular network morphogenesis remains unknown. Here, using the zebrafish vasculature as a model system, we demonstrate that the balanced distribution of endothelial cells, as well as the resulting regularity of vessel calibre, is a result of cell migration from veins towards arteries and cell proliferation in veins. We identify the Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome protein (WASp) as an important molecular regulator of this process and show that loss of coordinated migration from veins to arteries upon wasb depletion results in aberrant vessel morphology and the formation of persistent arteriovenous shunts. We demonstrate that WASp achieves its function through the coordination of junctional actin assembly and PECAM1 recruitment and provide evidence that this is conserved in humans. Overall, we demonstrate that functional vascular patterning in the zebrafish trunk is established through differential cell migration regulated by junctional actin, and that interruption of differential migration may represent a pathomechanism in vascular malformations.

Dynamically regulated focal adhesions coordinate endothelial cell remodelling in developing vasculature.

The assembly of a mature vascular network involves coordinated endothelial cell (EC) shape changes, including the process of EC elongation. How EC elongation is dynamically regulated in vivo is not fully understood. Here, we have generated a zebrafish mutant that is deficient for the integrin adaptor protein Talin 1 (Tln1). Using a new focal adhesion (FA) marker line expressing endothelial Vinculinb-eGFP, we demonstrate that EC FAs function dynamically and are lost in our tln1 mutants, allowing us to uncouple the primary roles of FAs in EC morphogenesis from the secondary effects that occur due to systemic vessel failure or loss of blood flow. Tln1 loss led to compromised F-actin rearrangements, perturbed EC elongation and disrupted cell-cell junction linearisation in vessel remodelling. Finally, chemical induction of actin polymerisation restored actin dynamics and EC elongation during vascular morphogenesis. Together, we identify that FAs are essential for EC elongation and junction linearisation in flow-pressured vessels and that they influence actin polymerisation in cellular morphogenesis. These observations can explain the severely compromised vessel beds and vascular leakage observed in mutant models that lack integrin signalling. This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.

Paternally inherited H3K27me3 affects chromatin accessibility in mouse embryos produced by round spermatid injection.

Round spermatid injection (ROSI) results in a lower birth rate than intracytoplasmic sperm injection, which has hampered its clinical application. Inefficient development of ROSI embryos has been attributed to epigenetic abnormalities. However, the chromatin-based mechanism that underpins the low birth rate in ROSI remains to be determined. Here, we show that a repressive histone mark, H3K27me3, persists from mouse round spermatids into zygotes in ROSI and that round spermatid-derived H3K27me3 is associated with less accessible chromatin and impaired gene expression in ROSI embryos. These loci are initially marked by H3K27me3 but undergo histone modification remodelling in spermiogenesis, resulting in reduced H3K27me3 in normal spermatozoa. Therefore, the absence of epigenetic remodelling, presumably mediated by histone turnover during spermiogenesis, leads to dysregulation of chromatin accessibility and transcription in ROSI embryos. Thus, our results unveil a molecular logic, in which chromatin states in round spermatids impinge on chromatin accessibility and transcription in ROSI embryos, highlighting the importance of epigenetic remodelling during spermiogenesis in successful reproduction.

Loss of function of the maternal membrane oestrogen receptor ERα alters expansion of trophoblast cells and impacts mouse fertility.

The binding of 17ß-oestradiol to oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα) plays a crucial role in the control of reproduction, acting through both nuclear and membrane-initiated signalling. To study the physiological role of membrane ERα in the reproductive system, we used the C451A-ERα mouse model with selective loss of function of membrane ERα. Despite C451A-ERα mice being described as sterile, daily weighing and ultrasound imaging revealed that homozygous females do become pregnant, allowing the investigation of the role of ERα during pregnancy for the first time. All neonatal deaths of the mutant offspring mice resulted from delayed parturition associated with failure in pre-term progesterone withdrawal. Moreover, pregnant C451A-ERα females exhibited partial intrauterine embryo arrest at about E9.5. The observed embryonic lethality resulted from altered expansion of Tpbpa-positive spiral artery-associated trophoblast giant cells into the utero-placental unit, which is associated with an imbalance in expression of angiogenic factors. Together, these processes control the trophoblast-mediated spiral arterial remodelling. Hence, loss of membrane ERα within maternal tissues clearly alters the activity of invasive trophoblast cells during placentogenesis. This previously unreported function of membrane ERα could open new avenues towards a better understanding of human pregnancy-associated pathologies.

NAT10 promotes vascular remodelling via mRNA ac4C acetylation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotype switching is a pathological hallmark in various cardiovascular diseases. N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) catalyzed by N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) is well conserved in the enzymatic modification of ribonucleic acid (RNA). NAT10-mediated ac4C acetylation is involved in various physiological and pathological processes, including cardiac remodelling. However, the biological functions and underlying regulatory mechanisms of mRNA ac4C modifications in vascular diseases remain elusive. METHODS: By combining in-vitro and in-vivo vascular injury models, NAT10 was identified as a crucial protein involved in the promotion of post-injury neointima formation, as well as VSMC phenotype switching. The potential mechanisms of NAT10 in the vascular neointima formation were clarified by RNA sequence (RNA-seq), acetylated mRNA immunoprecipitation sequence (acRIP-seq), and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation sequence (RIP-seq). RESULTS: NAT10 and ac4C modifications were upregulated in injured human and rodent arteries. Deletion of NAT10 in VSMCs effectively reduced post-injury neointima formation and VSMC phenotype switching. Further RNA-seq, RIP-seq, and acRIP-seq revealed that NAT10, by its ac4C modification, directly interacts with genes, including integrin-ß1 (ITGB1) and collagen type I alpha 2 chain (Col1a2) mRNAs. Taking ITGB1 as one example, it showed that NAT10-mediated ac4C consequently increased ITGB1 mRNA stability and its downstream focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling, directly influencing the proliferation of VSMCs and vascular remodelling. The regulation of NAT10 on the VSMC phenotype is of translational significance because the administration of Remodelin, a NAT10 inhibitor, effectively prevents neointima formation by suppressing VSMC proliferation and downregulating ITGB1 expression and deactivating its FAK signaling. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that NAT10 promotes vascular remodelling via mRNA ac4C acetylation, which may be a promising therapeutic target against vascular remodelling.

Clonal haematopoiesis of indeterminate potential and atrial fibrillation: an east Asian cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Both clonal haematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are age-related conditions. This study investigated the potential role of CHIP in the development and progression of AF. METHODS: Deep-targeted sequencing of 24 CHIP mutations (a mean depth of coverage = 1000×) was performed in 1004 patients with AF and 3341 non-AF healthy subjects. Variant allele fraction ≥ 2.0% indicated the presence of CHIP mutations. The association between CHIP and AF was evaluated by the comparison of (i) the prevalence of CHIP mutations between AF and non-AF subjects and (ii) clinical characteristics discriminated by CHIP mutations within AF patients. Furthermore, the risk of clinical outcomes-the composite of heart failure, ischaemic stroke, or death-according to the presence of CHIP mutations in AF was investigated from the UK Biobank cohort. RESULTS: The mean age was 67.6 ± 6.9 vs. 58.5 ± 6.5 years in AF (paroxysmal, 39.0%; persistent, 61.0%) and non-AF cohorts, respectively. CHIP mutations with a variant allele fraction of ≥2.0% were found in 237 (23.6%) AF patients (DNMT3A, 13.5%; TET2, 6.6%; and ASXL1, 1.5%) and were more prevalent than non-AF subjects [356 (10.7%); P < .001] across the age. After multivariable adjustment (age, sex, smoking, body mass index, diabetes, and hypertension), CHIP mutations were 1.4-fold higher in AF [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.38; 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.74, P < .01]. The ORs of CHIP mutations were the highest in the long-standing persistent AF (adjusted OR 1.50; 95% confidence interval 1.14-1.99, P = .004) followed by persistent (adjusted OR 1.44) and paroxysmal (adjusted OR 1.33) AF. In gene-specific analyses, TET2 somatic mutation presented the highest association with AF (adjusted OR 1.65; 95% confidence interval 1.05-2.60, P = .030). AF patients with CHIP mutations were older and had a higher prevalence of diabetes, a longer AF duration, a higher E/E', and a more severely enlarged left atrium than those without CHIP mutations (all P < .05). In UK Biobank analysis of 21 286 AF subjects (1297 with CHIP and 19 989 without CHIP), the CHIP mutation in AF is associated with a 1.32-fold higher risk of a composite clinical event (heart failure, ischaemic stroke, or death). CONCLUSIONS: CHIP mutations, primarily DNMT3A or TET2, are more prevalent in patients with AF than non-AF subjects whilst their presence is associated with a more progressive nature of AF and unfavourable clinical outcomes.

Critical limb-threatening ischaemia and microvascular transformation: clinical implications.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Clinical management of critical limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI) is focused on prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic arterial occlusions. The role of microvascular pathology in disease progression is still largely unspecified and more importantly not utilized for treatment. The aim of this explorative study was to characterize the role of the microvasculature in CLTI pathology. METHODS: Clinical high-resolution imaging of CLTI patients (n = 50) and muscle samples from amputated CLTI limbs (n = 40) were used to describe microvascular pathology of CLTI at the level of resting muscle blood flow and microvascular structure, respectively. Furthermore, a chronic, low arterial driving pressure-simulating ischaemia model in rabbits (n = 24) was used together with adenoviral vascular endothelial growth factor A gene transfers to study the effect of microvascular alterations on muscle outcome. RESULTS: Resting microvascular blood flow was not depleted but displayed decreased capillary transit time (P < .01) in CLTI muscles. Critical limb-threatening ischaemia muscle microvasculature also exhibited capillary enlargement (P < .001) and further arterialization along worsening of myofibre atrophy and detaching of capillaries from myofibres. Furthermore, CLTI-like capillary transformation was shown to worsen calf muscle force production (P < .05) and tissue outcome (P < .01) under chronic ischaemia in rabbits and in healthy, normal rabbit muscle. CONCLUSIONS: These findings depict a progressive, hypoxia-driven transformation of the microvasculature in CLTI muscles, which pathologically alters blood flow dynamics and aggravates tissue damage under low arterial driving pressure. Hypoxia-driven capillary enlargement can be highly important for CLTI outcomes and should therefore be considered in further development of diagnostics and treatment of CLTI.

Characterization of dynamic changes in cardiac microstructure after reperfused ST-elevation myocardial infarction by biphasic diffusion tensor cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Microstructural disturbances underlie dysfunctional contraction and adverse left ventricular (LV) remodelling after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Biphasic diffusion tensor cardiovascular magnetic resonance (DT-CMR) quantifies dynamic reorientation of sheetlets (E2A) from diastole to systole during myocardial thickening, and markers of tissue integrity [mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA)]. This study investigated whether microstructural alterations identified by biphasic DT-CMR: (i) enable contrast-free detection of acute myocardial infarction (MI); (ii) associate with severity of myocardial injury and contractile dysfunction; and (iii) predict adverse LV remodelling. METHODS: Biphasic DT-CMR was acquired 4 days (n = 70) and 4 months (n = 66) after reperfused STEMI and in healthy volunteers (HVOLs) (n = 22). Adverse LV remodelling was defined as an increase in LV end-diastolic volume ≥ 20% at 4 months. MD and FA maps were compared with late gadolinium enhancement images. RESULTS: Widespread microstructural disturbances were detected post-STEMI. In the acute MI zone, diastolic E2A was raised and systolic E2A reduced, resulting in reduced E2A mobility (all P < .001 vs. adjacent and remote zones and HVOLs). Acute global E2A mobility was the only independent predictor of adverse LV remodelling (odds ratio .77; 95% confidence interval .63-.94; P = .010). MD and FA maps had excellent sensitivity and specificity (all > 90%) and interobserver agreement for detecting MI presence and location. CONCLUSIONS: Biphasic DT-CMR identifies microstructural alterations in both diastole and systole after STEMI, enabling detection of MI presence and location as well as predicting adverse LV remodelling. DT-CMR has potential to provide a single contrast-free modality for MI detection and prognostication of patients after acute STEMI.

Device-measured physical activity and cardiac structure by magnetic resonance.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although extreme cardiac adaptions mirroring phenotypes of cardiomyopathy have been observed in endurance athletes, adaptions to high levels of physical activity within the wider population are under-explored. Therefore, in this study, associations between device-measured physical activity and clinically relevant cardiac magnetic resonance volumetric indices were investigated. METHODS: Individuals without known cardiovascular disease or hypertension were included from the UK Biobank. Cardiac magnetic resonance data were collected between 2015 and 2019, and measures of end-diastolic chamber volume, left ventricular (LV) wall thickness, and LV ejection fraction were extracted. Moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA), vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA), and total physical activity were assessed via wrist-worn accelerometers. RESULTS: A total of 5977 women (median age and MVPA: 62 years and 46.8 min/day, respectively) and 4134 men (64 years and 49.8 min/day, respectively) were included. Each additional 10 min/day of MVPA was associated with a 0.70 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.62, 0.79] mL/m2 higher indexed LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDVi) in women and a 1.08 (95% CI: 0.95, 1.20) mL/m2 higher LVEDVi in men. However, even within the top decile of MVPA, LVEDVi values remained within the normal ranges [79.1 (95% CI: 78.3, 80.0) mL/m2 in women and 91.4 (95% CI: 90.1, 92.7) mL/m2 in men]. Associations with MVPA were also observed for the right ventricle and the left/right atria, with an inverse association observed for LV ejection fraction. Associations of MVPA with maximum or average LV wall thickness were not clinically meaningful. Results for total physical activity and VPA mirrored those for MVPA. CONCLUSIONS: High levels of device-measured physical activity were associated with cardiac remodelling within normal ranges.

Genome-wide comparative methylation analysis reveals the fate of germ stem cells after surrogate production in teleost.

BACKGROUND: Surrogate production by germline stem cell transplantation is a powerful method to produce donor-derived gametes via a host, a practice known as surrogacy. The gametes produced by surrogates are often analysed on the basis of their morphology and species-specific genotyping, which enables conclusion to be drawn about the donor's characteristics. However, in-depth information, such as data on epigenetic changes, is rarely acquired. Germ cells develop in close contact with supporting somatic cells during gametogenesis in vertebrates, and we hypothesize that the recipient's gonadal environment may cause epigenetic changes in produced gametes and progeny. Here, we extensively characterize the DNA methylome of donor-derived sperm and their intergenerational effects in both inter- and intraspecific surrogates. RESULTS: We found more than 3000 differentially methylated regions in both the sperm and progeny derived from inter- and intraspecific surrogates. Hypermethylation in the promoter regions of the protocadherin gamma gene in the intraspecific surrogates was found to be associated with germline transmission. On the contrary, gene expression level and the embryonic development of the offspring remained unaffected. We also discovered MAPK/p53 pathway disruption in interspecific surrogates due to promoter hypermethylation and identified that the inefficient removal of meiotic-arrested endogenous germ cells in hybrid gonads led to the production of infertile spermatozoa. CONCLUSIONS: Donor-derived sperm and progeny from inter- and intraspecific surrogates were more globally hypermethylated than those of the donors. The observed changes in DNA methylation marks in the surrogates had no significant phenotypic effects in the offspring.

Alliances of the gut and bone axis.

Gut hormones secreted from enteroendocrine cells following nutrient ingestion modulate metabolic processes including glucose homeostasis and food intake, and several of these gut hormones are involved in the regulation of the energy demanding process of bone remodelling. Here, we review the gut hormones considered or known to be involved in the gut-bone crosstalk and their role in orchestrating adaptions of bone formation and resorption as demonstrated in cellular and physiological experiments and clinical trials. Understanding the physiology and pathophysiology of the gut-bone axis may identify adverse effects of investigational drugs aimed to treat metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity and new therapeutic candidates for the treatment of bone diseases.