A Therapeutic Non-self-reactive SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Protects from Lung Pathology in a COVID-19 Hamster Model.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 led to pandemic spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), manifesting with respiratory symptoms and multi-organ dysfunction. Detailed characterization of virus-neutralizing antibodies and target epitopes is needed to understand COVID-19 pathophysiology and guide immunization strategies. Among 598 human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from 10 COVID-19 patients, we identified 40 strongly neutralizing mAbs. The most potent mAb, CV07-209, neutralized authentic SARS-CoV-2 with an IC50 value of 3.1 ng/mL. Crystal structures of two mAbs in complex with the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain at 2.55 and 2.70 Å revealed a direct block of ACE2 attachment. Interestingly, some of the near-germline SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing mAbs reacted with mammalian self-antigens. Prophylactic and therapeutic application of CV07-209 protected hamsters from SARS-CoV-2 infection, weight loss, and lung pathology. Our results show that non-self-reactive virus-neutralizing mAbs elicited during SARS-CoV-2 infection are a promising therapeutic strategy.

A Site of Vulnerability on the Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Head Domain Trimer Interface.

Here, we describe the discovery of a naturally occurring human antibody (Ab), FluA-20, that recognizes a new site of vulnerability on the hemagglutinin (HA) head domain and reacts with most influenza A viruses. Structural characterization of FluA-20 with H1 and H3 head domains revealed a novel epitope in the HA trimer interface, suggesting previously unrecognized dynamic features of the trimeric HA protein. The critical HA residues recognized by FluA-20 remain conserved across most subtypes of influenza A viruses, which explains the Ab's extraordinary breadth. The Ab rapidly disrupted the integrity of HA protein trimers, inhibited cell-to-cell spread of virus in culture, and protected mice against challenge with viruses of H1N1, H3N2, H5N1, or H7N9 subtypes when used as prophylaxis or therapy. The FluA-20 Ab has uncovered an exceedingly conserved protective determinant in the influenza HA head domain trimer interface that is an unexpected new target for anti-influenza therapeutics and vaccines.

Human anti-N1 monoclonal antibodies elicited by pandemic H1N1 virus infection broadly inhibit HxN1 viruses in vitro and in vivo.

Neuraminidase (NA) is one of the two influenza virus surface glycoproteins, and antibodies that target it are an independent correlate of protection. However, our current understanding of NA antigenicity is incomplete. Here, we describe human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from a patient with a pandemic H1N1 virus infection in 2009. Two mAbs exhibited broad reactivity and inhibited NA enzyme activity of seasonal H1N1 viruses circulating before and after 2009, as well as viruses with avian or swine N1s. The mAbs provided robust protection from lethal challenge with human H1N1 and avian H5N1 viruses in mice, and both target an epitope on the lateral face of NA. In summary, we identified two broadly protective NA antibodies that share a novel epitope, inhibited NA activity, and provide protection against virus challenge in mice. Our work reaffirms that NA should be included as a target in future broadly protective or universal influenza virus vaccines.

Broadly neutralizing anti-S2 antibodies protect against all three human betacoronaviruses that cause deadly disease.

Pan-betacoronavirus neutralizing antibodies may hold the key to developing broadly protective vaccines against novel pandemic coronaviruses and to more effectively respond to SARS-CoV-2 variants. The emergence of Omicron and subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 illustrates the limitations of solely targeting the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein. Here, we isolated a large panel of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) from SARS-CoV-2 recovered-vaccinated donors, which targets a conserved S2 region in the betacoronavirus spike fusion machinery. Select bnAbs showed broad in vivo protection against all three deadly betacoronaviruses, SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV, which have spilled over into humans in the past two decades. Structural studies of these bnAbs delineated the molecular basis for their broad reactivity and revealed common antibody features targetable by broad vaccination strategies. These bnAbs provide new insights and opportunities for antibody-based interventions and for developing pan-betacoronavirus vaccines.

Cross-Neutralization of a SARS-CoV-2 Antibody to a Functionally Conserved Site Is Mediated by Avidity.

Most antibodies isolated from individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are specific to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, COVA1-16 is a relatively rare antibody that also cross-neutralizes SARS-CoV. Here, we determined a crystal structure of the COVA1-16 antibody fragment (Fab) with the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) and negative-stain electron microscopy reconstructions with the spike glycoprotein trimer to elucidate the structural basis of its cross-reactivity. COVA1-16 binds a highly conserved epitope on the SARS-CoV-2 RBD, mainly through a long complementarity-determining region (CDR) H3, and competes with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor because of steric hindrance rather than epitope overlap. COVA1-16 binds to a flexible up conformation of the RBD on the spike and relies on antibody avidity for neutralization. These findings, along with the structural and functional rationale for epitope conservation, provide insights for development of more universal SARS-like coronavirus vaccines and therapies.

Ultrapotent influenza hemagglutinin fusion inhibitors developed through SuFEx-enabled high-throughput medicinal chemistry.

Seasonal and pandemic-associated influenza strains cause highly contagious viral respiratory infections that can lead to severe illness and excess mortality. Here, we report on the optimization of our small-molecule inhibitor F0045(S) targeting the influenza hemagglutinin (HA) stem with our Sulfur-Fluoride Exchange (SuFEx) click chemistry-based high-throughput medicinal chemistry (HTMC) strategy. A combination of SuFEx- and amide-based lead molecule diversification and structure-guided design led to identification and validation of ultrapotent influenza fusion inhibitors with subnanomolar EC50 cellular antiviral activity against several influenza A group 1 strains. X-ray structures of six of these compounds with HA indicate that the appended moieties occupy additional pockets on the HA surface and increase the binding interaction, where the accumulation of several polar interactions also contributes to the improved affinity. The compounds here represent the most potent HA small-molecule inhibitors to date. Our divergent HTMC platform is therefore a powerful, rapid, and cost-effective approach to develop bioactive chemical probes and drug-like candidates against viral targets.

Fully synthetic platform to rapidly generate tetravalent bispecific nanobody-based immunoglobulins.

Nanobodies bind a target antigen with a kinetic profile similar to a conventional antibody, but exist as a single heavy chain domain that can be readily multimerized to engage antigen via multiple interactions. Presently, most nanobodies are produced by immunizing camelids; however, platforms for animal-free production are growing in popularity. Here, we describe the development of a fully synthetic nanobody library based on an engineered human VH3-23 variable gene and a multispecific antibody-like format designed for biparatopic target engagement. To validate our library, we selected nanobodies against the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain and employed an on-yeast epitope binning strategy to rapidly map the specificities of the selected nanobodies. We then generated antibody-like molecules by replacing the VH and VL domains of a conventional antibody with two different nanobodies, designed as a molecular clamp to engage the receptor-binding domain biparatopically. The resulting bispecific tetra-nanobody immunoglobulins neutralized diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants with potencies similar to antibodies isolated from convalescent donors. Subsequent biochemical analyses confirmed the accuracy of the on-yeast epitope binning and structures of both individual nanobodies, and a tetra-nanobody immunoglobulin revealed that the intended mode of interaction had been achieved. This overall workflow is applicable to nearly any protein target and provides a blueprint for a modular workflow for the development of multispecific molecules.

Influenza chimeric hemagglutinin structures in complex with broadly protective antibodies to the stem and trimer interface.

Influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) has been the primary target for influenza vaccine development. Broadly protective antibodies targeting conserved regions of the HA unlock the possibility of generating universal influenza immunity. Two group 2 influenza A chimeric HAs, cH4/3 and cH15/3, were previously designed to elicit antibodies to the conserved HA stem. Here, we show by X-ray crystallography and negative-stain electron microscopy that a broadly protective antistem antibody can stably bind to cH4/3 and cH15/3 HAs, thereby validating their potential as universal vaccine immunogens. Furthermore, flexibility was observed in the head domain of the chimeric HA structures, suggesting that antibodies could also potentially interact with the head interface epitope. Our structural and binding studies demonstrated that a broadly protective antihead trimeric interface antibody could indeed target the more open head domain of the cH15/3 HA trimer. Thus, in addition to inducing broadly protective antibodies against the conserved HA stem, chimeric HAs may also be able to elicit antibodies against the conserved trimer interface in the HA head domain, thereby increasing the vaccine efficacy.

A broad and potent neutralization epitope in SARS-related coronaviruses.

Many neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) elicited to ancestral severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) through natural infection and vaccination have reduced effectiveness to SARS-CoV-2 variants. Here, we show that therapeutic antibody ADG20 is able to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) including Omicron (B.1.1.529) as well as other SARS-related coronaviruses. We delineate the structural basis of this relatively escape-resistant epitope that extends from one end of the receptor binding site (RBS) into the highly conserved CR3022 site. ADG20 can then benefit from high potency through direct competition with ACE2 in the more variable RBS and interaction with the more highly conserved CR3022 site. Importantly, antibodies that are able to target this site generally neutralize a broad range of VOCs, albeit with reduced potency against Omicron. Thus, this conserved and vulnerable site can be exploited for the design of universal vaccines and therapeutic antibodies.

N-Glycolylneuraminic Acid Binding of Avian and Equine H7 Influenza A Viruses.

Influenza A viruses (IAV) initiate infection by binding to glycans with terminal sialic acids on the cell surface. Hosts of IAV variably express two major forms of sialic acid, N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) and N-glycolylneuraminic acid (NeuGc). NeuGc is produced in most mammals, including horses and pigs, but is absent in humans, ferrets, and birds. The only known naturally occurring IAV that exclusively bind NeuGc are extinct highly pathogenic equine H7N7 viruses. We determined the crystal structure of a representative equine H7 hemagglutinin (HA) in complex with NeuGc and observed high similarity in the receptor-binding domain with an avian H7 HA. To determine the molecular basis for NeuAc and NeuGc specificity, we performed systematic mutational analyses, based on the structural insights, on two distant avian H7 HAs and an H15 HA. We found that the A135E mutation is key for binding α2,3-linked NeuGc but does not abolish NeuAc binding. The additional mutations S128T, I130V, T189A, and K193R converted the specificity from NeuAc to NeuGc. We investigated the residues at positions 128, 130, 135, 189, and 193 in a phylogenetic analysis of avian and equine H7 HAs. This analysis revealed a clear distinction between equine and avian residues. The highest variability was observed at key position 135, of which only the equine glutamic acid led to NeuGc binding. These results demonstrate that genetically distinct H7 and H15 HAs can be switched from NeuAc to NeuGc binding and vice versa after the introduction of several mutations, providing insights into the adaptation of H7 viruses to NeuGc receptors. IMPORTANCE Influenza A viruses cause millions of cases of severe illness and deaths annually. To initiate infection and replicate, the virus first needs to bind to a structure on the cell surface, like a key fitting in a lock. For influenza A viruses, these "keys" (receptors) on the cell surface are chains of sugar molecules (glycans). The terminal sugar on these glycans is often either N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) or N-glycolylneuraminic acid (NeuGc). Most influenza A viruses bind NeuAc, but a small minority bind NeuGc. NeuGc is present in species like horses, pigs, and mice but not in humans, ferrets, and birds. Here, we investigated the molecular determinants of NeuGc specificity and the origin of viruses that bind NeuGc.

An influenza A hemagglutinin small-molecule fusion inhibitor identified by a new high-throughput fluorescence polarization screen.

Influenza hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein is the primary surface antigen targeted by the host immune response and a focus for development of novel vaccines, broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs), and therapeutics. HA enables viral entry into host cells via receptor binding and membrane fusion and is a validated target for drug discovery. However, to date, only a very few bona fide small molecules have been reported against the HA. To identity new antiviral lead candidates against the highly conserved fusion machinery in the HA stem, we synthesized a fluorescence-polarization probe based on a recently described neutralizing cyclic peptide P7 derived from the complementarity-determining region loops of human bnAbs FI6v3 and CR9114 against the HA stem. We then designed a robust binding assay compatible with high-throughput screening to identify molecules with low micromolar to nanomolar affinity to influenza A group 1 HAs. Our simple, low-cost, and efficient in vitro assay was used to screen H1/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (H1/PR8) HA trimer against ∼72,000 compounds. The crystal structure of H1/PR8 HA in complex with our best hit compound F0045(S) confirmed that it binds to pockets in the HA stem similar to bnAbs FI6v3 and CR9114, cyclic peptide P7, and small-molecule inhibitor JNJ4796. F0045 is enantioselective against a panel of group 1 HAs and F0045(S) exhibits in vitro neutralization activity against multiple H1N1 and H5N1 strains. Our assay, compound characterization, and small-molecule candidate should further stimulate the discovery and development of new compounds with unique chemical scaffolds and enhanced influenza antiviral capabilities.

A natural mutation between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV determines neutralization by a cross-reactive antibody.

Epitopes that are conserved among SARS-like coronaviruses are attractive targets for design of cross-reactive vaccines and therapeutics. CR3022 is a SARS-CoV neutralizing antibody to a highly conserved epitope on the receptor binding domain (RBD) on the spike protein that is able to cross-react with SARS-CoV-2, but with lower affinity. Using x-ray crystallography, mutagenesis, and binding experiments, we illustrate that of four amino acid differences in the CR3022 epitope between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, a single mutation P384A fully determines the affinity difference. CR3022 does not neutralize SARS-CoV-2, but the increased affinity to SARS-CoV-2 P384A mutant now enables neutralization with a similar potency to SARS-CoV. We further investigated CR3022 interaction with the SARS-CoV spike protein by negative-stain EM and cryo-EM. Three CR3022 Fabs bind per trimer with the RBD observed in different up-conformations due to considerable flexibility of the RBD. In one of these conformations, quaternary interactions are made by CR3022 to the N-terminal domain (NTD) of an adjacent subunit. Overall, this study provides insights into antigenic variation and potential cross-neutralizing epitopes on SARS-like viruses.

F-box/WD Repeat-Containing Protein 5 Mediates the Ubiquitination of Apoptosis Signal-Regulating Kinase 1 and Exacerbates Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Mice.

Inhibition of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) activation has emerged as a promising target for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Multiple forms of posttranslational modifications determine the activity of ASK1. In addition to phosphorylation, recent studies revealed that ubiquitination is essential for ASK1 activation. However, the endogenous factor that regulates ASK1 ubiquitination and activation remains poorly defined. In this study, we identified the E3 ligase Skp1-Cul1-F-box (SCF) protein F-box/WD repeat-containing protein 5 (FBXW5) as a key endogenous activator of ASK1 ubiquitination. FBXW5 is the central component of the SCF complex (SCFFbxw5 ) that directly interacts with and ubiquitinates ASK1 in hepatocytes during NASH development. An in vivo study showed that hepatocyte-specific overexpression of FBXW5 exacerbated diet-induced systemic and hepatic metabolic disorders, as well as the activation of ASK1-related mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in the liver. Conversely, hepatocyte-specific deletion of FBXW5 significantly prevented the progression of these abnormalities. Mechanically, FBXW5 facilitated the addition of Lys63-linked ubiquitin to ASK1 and thus exacerbated ASK1-c-Jun N-terminal kinase/p38 MAPK signaling, inflammation, and lipid accumulation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the N-terminus (S1) and C-terminus (S3) of FBXW5 respectively and competitively ablate the function of FBXW5 on ASK1 activation and served as effective inhibitors of NASH progression. Conclusion: This evidence strongly suggests that SCFFbxw5 is an important activator of ASK1 ubiquitination in the context of NASH. The development of FBXW5(S1) or FBXW5(S3)-mimicking drugs and screening of small-molecular inhibitors specifically abrogating ASK1 ubiquitination-dependent activation are viable approaches for NASH treatment.

Tumor Progression Locus 2 in Hepatocytes Potentiates Both Liver and Systemic Metabolic Disorders in Mice.

Tumor progression locus 2 (TPL2), a serine/threonine kinase, has been regarded as a potentially interesting target for the treatment of various diseases with an inflammatory component. However, the function of TPL2 in regulating hepatocyte metabolism and liver inflammation during the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is poorly understood. Here, we report that TPL2 protein expression was significantly increased in fatty liver from diverse species, including humans, monkeys, and mice. Further investigations revealed that compared to wild-type (WT) littermates, hepatocyte-specific TPL2 knockout (HKO) mice exhibited improved lipid and glucose imbalance, reserved insulin sensitivity, and alleviated inflammation in response to high-fat diet (HFD) feeding. Overexpression of TPL2 in hepatocytes led to the opposite phenotype. Regarding the mechanism, we found that mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 7 (MKK7) was the specific substrate of TPL2 for c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation. TPL2-MKK7-JNK signaling in hepatocytes represents a promising drugable target for treating NAFLD and associated metabolic disorders. Conclusion: In hepatocytes, TPL2 acts as a key mediator that promotes both liver and systemic metabolic disturbances by specifically increasing MKK7-JNK activation.

Integrated Omics Reveals Tollip as an Regulator and Therapeutic Target for Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Mice.

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is the leading cause of liver dysfunction and failure after liver resection or transplantation and lacks effective therapeutic strategies. Here, we applied a systematic proteomic analysis to identify the prominent contributors to IR-induced liver damage and promising therapeutic targets for this condition. Based on an unbiased proteomic analysis, we found that toll-interacting protein (Tollip) expression was closely correlated with the hepatic IR process. RNA sequencing analysis and phenotypic examination showed a dramatically alleviated hepatic IR injury by Tollip deficiency both in vivo and in hepatocytes. Mechanistically, Tollip interacts with apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) and facilitates the recruitment of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) to ASK1, leading to enhanced ASK1 N-terminal dimerization and the subsequent activation of downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling. Furthermore, the Tollip methionine and phenylalanine motif and TRAF6 ubiquitinating activity are required for Tollip-regulated ASK1-MAPK axis activation. Conclusion: Tollip is a regulator of hepatic IR injury by facilitating ASK1 N-terminal dimerization and the resultant c-Jun N-terminal kinase/p38 signaling activation. Inhibiting Tollip or its interaction with ASK1 might be promising therapeutic strategies for hepatic IR injury.

Targeting Transmembrane BAX Inhibitor Motif Containing 1 Alleviates Pathological Cardiac Hypertrophy.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac hypertrophy and its resultant heart failure are among the most common causes of mortality worldwide. Abnormal protein degradation, especially the impaired lysosomal degradation of large organelles and membrane proteins, is involved in the progression of cardiac hypertrophy. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. METHODS: We investigated cardiac transmembrane BAX inhibitor motif containing 1 (TMBIM1) mRNA and protein expression levels in samples from patients with heart failure and mice with aortic banding (AB)-induced cardiac hypertrophy. We generated cardiac-specific Tmbim1 knockout mice and cardiac-specific Tmbim1-overexpressing transgenic mice and then challenged them with AB surgery. We used microarray, confocal image, and coimmunoprecipitation analyses to identify the downstream targets of TMBIM1 in cardiac hypertrophy. Tmbim1/Tlr4 double-knockout mice were generated to investigate whether the effects of TMBIM1 on cardiac hypertrophy were Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) dependent. Finally, lentivirus-mediated TMBIM1 overexpression in a monkey AB model was performed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of TMBIM1. RESULTS: TMBIM1 expression was significantly downregulated on hypertrophic stimuli in both human and mice heart samples. Silencing cardiac Tmbim1 aggravated AB-induced cardiac hypertrophy. This effect was blunted by Tmbim1 overexpression. Transcriptome profiling revealed that the TLR4 signaling pathway was disrupted dramatically by manipulation of Tmbim1. The effects of TMBIM1 on cardiac hypertrophy were shown to be dependent on TLR4 in double-knockout mice. Fluorescent staining indicated that TMBIM1 promoted the lysosome-mediated degradation of activated TLR4. Coimmunoprecipitation assays confirmed that TMBIM1 directly interacted with tumor susceptibility gene 101 via a PTAP motif and accelerated the formation of multivesicular bodies that delivered TLR4 to the lysosomes. Finally, lentivirus-mediated TMBIM1 overexpression reversed AB-induced cardiac hypertrophy in monkeys. CONCLUSIONS: TMBIM1 protects against pathological cardiac hypertrophy through promoting the lysosomal degradation of activated TLR4. Our findings reveal the central role of TMBIM1 as a multivesicular body regulator in the progression of pathological cardiac hypertrophy, as well as the role of vesicle trafficking in signaling regulation during cardiac hypertrophy. Moreover, targeting TMBIM1 could be a novel therapeutic strategy for treating cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.

Three mutations switch H7N9 influenza to human-type receptor specificity.

The avian H7N9 influenza outbreak in 2013 resulted from an unprecedented incidence of influenza transmission to humans from infected poultry. The majority of human H7N9 isolates contained a hemagglutinin (HA) mutation (Q226L) that has previously been associated with a switch in receptor specificity from avian-type (NeuAcα2-3Gal) to human-type (NeuAcα2-6Gal), as documented for the avian progenitors of the 1957 (H2N2) and 1968 (H3N2) human influenza pandemic viruses. While this raised concern that the H7N9 virus was adapting to humans, the mutation was not sufficient to switch the receptor specificity of H7N9, and has not resulted in sustained transmission in humans. To determine if the H7 HA was capable of acquiring human-type receptor specificity, we conducted mutation analyses. Remarkably, three amino acid mutations conferred a switch in specificity for human-type receptors that resembled the specificity of the 2009 human H1 pandemic virus, and promoted binding to human trachea epithelial cells.

Ubiquitin-Specific Peptidase 10 (USP10) Inhibits Hepatic Steatosis, Insulin Resistance, and Inflammation Through Sirt6.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance and inflammation, and the pathogenic mechanism of NAFLD is poorly understood. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 10 (USP10), a member of the ubiquitin-specific protease family, is involved in environmental stress responses, tumor growth, inflammation, and cellular metabolism. However, the role of USP10 in hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, and inflammation remains largely unexplored. USP10 expression was detected in livers of patients with NAFLD, mice with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, and genetically obese (ob/ob) mice, as well as in palmitate-induced hepatocytes. The function of USP10 in hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, and inflammation was investigated using hepatocyte-specific USP10 deficiency or overexpression in mice induced by HFD treatment or genetic defect. The molecular mechanisms underlying USP10-regulated hepatic steatosis were further investigated in HFD-treated mice. USP10 expression was significantly decreased in the fatty livers of NAFLD patients and obese mice and in palmitate-treated hepatocytes. USP10 deficiency exacerbated the metabolic dysfunction induced by HFD treatment for 12 weeks. Conversely, USP10 overexpression significantly suppressed metabolic dysfunction in mice after HFD treatment and inhibited the development of NAFLD in ob/ob mice. Further investigation indicated that USP10 regulates hepatic steatosis by interacting with Sirt6 and inhibiting its ubiquitination and degradation. Sirt6 overexpression markedly ameliorated the effects of USP10 deficiency in hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, and inflammation. Conversely, Sirt6 deficiency decreased the ameliorative effects of USP10 overexpression in response to HFD treatment. Conclusion: USP10 inhibits hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, and inflammation through Sirt6.

Hepatocyte DUSP14 maintains metabolic homeostasis and suppresses inflammation in the liver.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent and complex disease that confers a high risk of severe liver disorders. Despite such public and clinical health importance, very few effective therapies are currently available for NAFLD. We report a protective function and the underlying mechanism of dual-specificity phosphatase 14 (DUSP14) in NAFLD and related metabolic disorders. Insulin resistance, hepatic lipid accumulation, and concomitant inflammatory responses, key pathological processes involved in NAFLD development, were significantly ameliorated by hepatocyte-specific DUSP14 overexpression (DUSP14-HTG) in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced or genetically obese mouse models. By contrast, specific DUSP14 deficiency in hepatocytes (DUSP14-HKO) aggravated these pathological alterations. We provided mechanistic evidence that DUSP14 directly binds to and dephosphorylates transforming growth factor ß-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), resulting in the reduced activation of TAK1 and its downstream signaling molecules c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK), p38, and nuclear factor kappa B NF-κB. This effect was further evidenced by the finding that inhibiting TAK1 activity effectively attenuated the deterioration of glucolipid metabolic phenotype in DUSP14-HKO mice challenged by HFD administration. Furthermore, we identified that both the binding domain and the phosphatase activity of DUSP14 are required for its protective role against hepatic steatosis, because interruption of the DUSP14-TAK1 interaction abolished the mitigative effects of DUSP14. CONCLUSION: Hepatocyte DUSP14 is required for maintaining hepatic metabolic homeostasis and for suppressing inflammation, a novel function that relies on constraining TAK1 hyperactivation. (Hepatology 2018;67:1320-1338).

Genetically encoding phosphotyrosine and its nonhydrolyzable analog in bacteria.

Tyrosine phosphorylation is a common protein post-translational modification that plays a critical role in signal transduction and the regulation of many cellular processes. Using a propeptide strategy to increase cellular uptake of O-phosphotyrosine (pTyr) and its nonhydrolyzable analog 4-phosphomethyl-L-phenylalanine (Pmp), we identified an orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-tRNA pair that allows site-specific incorporation of both pTyr and Pmp into recombinant proteins in response to the amber stop codon in Escherichia coli in good yields. The X-ray structure of the synthetase reveals a reconfigured substrate-binding site, formed by nonconservative mutations and substantial local structural perturbations. We demonstrate the utility of this method by introducing Pmp into a putative phosphorylation site and determining the affinities of the individual variants for the substrate 3BP2. In summary, this work provides a useful recombinant tool to dissect the biological functions of tyrosine phosphorylation at specific sites in the proteome.