Gene therapy with AAV9-SGPL1 in an animal model of lung fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive scarring disease of the lung that leads rapidly to respiratory failure. Novel approaches to treatment are urgently needed. The bioactive lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is increased in IPF lungs and promotes proinflammatory and profibrotic TGF-ß signaling. Hence, decreasing lung S1P represents a potential therapeutic strategy for IPF. S1P is degraded by the intracellular enzyme S1P lyase (SPL). Here we find that a knock-in mouse with a missense SPL mutation mimicking human disease resulted in reduced SPL activity, increased S1P, increased TGF-ß signaling, increased lung fibrosis, and higher mortality after injury compared to wild type (WT). We then tested adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9)-mediated overexpression of human SGPL1 (AAV-SPL) in mice as a therapeutic modality. Intravenous treatment with AAV-SPL augmented lung SPL activity, attenuated S1P levels within the lungs, and decreased injury-induced fibrosis compared to controls treated with saline or only AAV. We confirmed that AAV-SPL treatment led to higher expression of SPL in the epithelial and fibroblast compartments during bleomycin-induced lung injury. Additionally, AAV-SPL decreased expression of the profibrotic cytokines TNFα and IL1ß as well as markers of fibroblast activation, such as fibronectin (Fn1), Tgfb1, Acta2, and collagen genes in the lung. Taken together, our results provide proof of concept for the use of AAV-SPL as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of IPF. © 2024 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Neutrophilia in severe asthma is reduced in Ormdl3 overexpressing mice.

Genome-wide association studies have linked the ORM (yeast)-like protein isoform 3 (ORMDL3) to asthma severity. Although ORMDL3 is a member of a family that negatively regulates serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) and thus biosynthesis of sphingolipids, it is still unclear whether ORMDL3 and altered sphingolipid synthesis are causally related to non-Th2 severe asthma associated with a predominant neutrophil inflammation and high interleukin-17 (IL-17) levels. Here, we examined the effects of ORMDL3 overexpression in a preclinical mouse model of allergic lung inflammation that is predominantly neutrophilic and recapitulates many of the clinical features of severe human asthma. ORMDL3 overexpression reduced lung and circulating levels of dihydrosphingosine, the product of SPT. However, the most prominent effect on sphingolipid levels was reduction of circulating S1P. The LPS/OVA challenge increased markers of Th17 inflammation with a predominant infiltration of neutrophils into the lung. A significant decrease of neutrophil infiltration was observed in the Ormdl3 transgenic mice challenged with LPS/OVA compared to the wild type and concomitant decrease in IL-17, that plays a key role in the pathogenesis of neutrophilic asthma. LPS decreased survival of murine neutrophils, which was prevented by co-treatment with S1P. Moreover, S1P potentiated LPS-induced chemotaxis of neutrophil, suggesting that S1P can regulate neutrophil survival and recruitment following LPS airway inflammation. Our findings reveal a novel connection between ORMDL3 overexpression, circulating levels of S1P, IL-17 and neutrophil recruitment into the lung, and questions the potential involvement of ORMDL3 in the pathology, leading to development of severe neutrophilic asthma.

SARS-CoV-2 ORF3a expression in brain disrupts the autophagy-lysosomal pathway, impairs sphingolipid homeostasis, and drives neuropathogenesis.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection causes injury to multiple organ systems, including the brain. SARS-CoV-2's neuropathological mechanisms may include systemic inflammation and hypoxia, as well as direct cell damage resulting from viral infections of neurons and glia. How the virus directly causes injury to brain cells, acutely and over the long term, is not well understood. In order to gain insight into this process, we studied the neuropathological effects of open reading frame 3a (ORF3a), a SARS-CoV-2 accessory protein that is a key pathological factor of the virus. Forced ORF3a brain expression in mice caused the rapid onset of neurological impairment, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation-key neuropathological features found in coronavirus disease (COVID-19, which is caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection). Furthermore, ORF3a expression blocked autophagy progression in the brain and caused the neuronal accumulation of α-synuclein and glycosphingolipids, all of which are linked to neurodegenerative disease. Studies with ORF3-expressing HeLa cells confirmed that ORF3a disrupted the autophagy-lysosomal pathway and blocked glycosphingolipid degradation, resulting in their accumulation. These findings indicate that, in the event of neuroinvasion by SARS-CoV-2, ORF3a expression in brain cells may drive neuropathogenesis and be an important mediator of both short- and long-term neurological manifestations of COVID-19.

Sialidase NEU3 action on GM1 ganglioside is neuroprotective in GM1 gangliosidosis.

GM1 gangliosidosis is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the GLB1 gene, which encodes lysosomal ß-galactosidase. The enzyme deficiency blocks GM1 ganglioside catabolism, leading to accumulation of GM1 ganglioside and asialo-GM1 ganglioside (GA1 glycolipid) in brain. This disease can present in varying degrees of severity, with the level of residual ß-galactosidase activity primarily determining the clinical course. Glb1 null mouse models, which completely lack ß-galactosidase expression, exhibit a less severe form of the disease than expected from the comparable deficiency in humans, suggesting a potential species difference in the GM1 ganglioside degradation pathway. We hypothesized this difference may involve the sialidase NEU3, which acts on GM1 ganglioside to produce GA1 glycolipid. To test this hypothesis, we generated Glb1/Neu3 double KO (DKO) mice. These mice had a significantly shorter lifespan, increased neurodegeneration, and more severe ataxia than Glb1 KO mice. Glb1/Neu3 DKO mouse brains exhibited an increased GM1 ganglioside to GA1 glycolipid ratio compared with Glb1 KO mice, indicating that NEU3 mediated GM1 ganglioside to GA1 glycolipid conversion in Glb1 KO mice. The expression of genes associated with neuroinflammation and glial responses were enhanced in Glb1/Neu3 DKO mice compared with Glb1 KO mice. Mouse NEU3 more efficiently converted GM1 ganglioside to GA1 glycolipid than human NEU3 did. Our findings highlight NEU3's role in ameliorating the consequences of Glb1 deletion in mice, provide insights into NEU3's differential effects between mice and humans in GM1 gangliosidosis, and offer a potential therapeutic approach for reducing toxic GM1 ganglioside accumulation in GM1 gangliosidosis patients.

Glb1 knockout mouse model shares natural history with type II GM1 gangliosidosis patients.

GM1 gangliosidosis is a rare lysosomal storage disorder affecting multiple organ systems, primarily the central nervous system, and is caused by functional deficiency of ß-galactosidase (GLB1). Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, we generated a mouse model to evaluate characteristics of the disease in comparison to GM1 gangliosidosis patients. Our Glb1-/- mice contain small deletions in exons 2 and 6, producing a null allele. Longevity is approximately 50 weeks and studies demonstrated that female Glb1-/- mice die six weeks earlier than male Glb1-/- mice. Gait analyses showed progressive abnormalities including abnormal foot placement, decreased stride length and increased stance width, comparable with what is observed in type II GM1 gangliosidosis patients. Furthermore, Glb1-/- mice show loss of motor skills by 20 weeks assessed by adhesive dot, hanging wire, and inverted grid tests, and deterioration of motor coordination by 32 weeks of age when evaluated by rotarod testing. Brain MRI showed progressive cerebellar atrophy in Glb1-/- mice as seen in some patients. In addition, Glb1-/- mice also show significantly increased levels of a novel pentasaccharide biomarker in urine and plasma which we also observed in GM1 gangliosidosis patients. Glb1-/- mice also exhibit accumulation of glycosphingolipids in the brain with increases in GM1 and GA1 beginning by 8 weeks. Surprisingly, despite being a null variant, this Glb1-/- mouse most closely models the less severe type II disease and will guide the development of new therapies for patients with the disorder.

The sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor S1P2 maintains the homeostasis of germinal center B cells and promotes niche confinement.

Mice deficient in sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor type 2 (S1P(2)) develop diffuse large B cell lymphoma. However, the role of S1P(2) in normal germinal center (GC) physiology is unknown. Here we show that S1P(2)-deficient GC B cells outgrew their wild-type counterparts in chronically established GCs. We found that antagonism of the kinase Akt mediated by S1P(2) and its downstream mediators Gα(12), Gα(13) and p115RhoGEF regulated cell viability and was required for growth control in chronically proliferating GCs. Moreover, S1P(2) inhibited GC B cell responses to follicular chemoattractants and helped confine cells to the GC. In addition, S1P(2) overexpression promoted the centering of activated B cells in the follicle. We suggest that by inhibiting Akt activation and migration, S1P(2) helps restrict GC B cell survival and localization to an S1P-low niche at the follicle center.

Visualizing Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor 1(S1P1) Signaling During Central Nervous System De- and Remyelination.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory-demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) mediated by aberrant auto-reactive immune responses. The current immune-modulatory therapies are unable to protect and repair immune-mediated neural tissue damage. One of the therapeutic targets in MS is the sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) pathway which signals via sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors 1-5 (S1P1-5). S1P receptors are expressed predominantly on immune and CNS cells. Considering the potential neuroprotective properties of S1P signaling, we utilized S1P1-GFP (Green fluorescent protein) reporter mice in the cuprizone-induced demyelination model to investigate in vivo S1P - S1P1 signaling in the CNS. We observed S1P1 signaling in a subset of neural stem cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) during demyelination. During remyelination, S1P1 signaling is expressed in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in the SVZ and mature oligodendrocytes in the medial corpus callosum (MCC). In the cuprizone model, we did not observe S1P1 signaling in neurons and astrocytes. We also observed ß-arrestin-dependent S1P1 signaling in lymphocytes during demyelination and CNS inflammation. Our findings reveal ß-arrestin-dependent S1P1 signaling in oligodendrocyte lineage cells implying a role of S1P1 signaling in remyelination.

Programming to S1PR1+ Endothelial Cells Promotes Restoration of Vascular Integrity.

[Figure: see text].

Endothelial S1P1 Signaling Counteracts Infarct Expansion in Ischemic Stroke.

RATIONALE: Cerebrovascular function is critical for brain health, and endogenous vascular protective pathways may provide therapeutic targets for neurological disorders. S1P (Sphingosine 1-phosphate) signaling coordinates vascular functions in other organs, and S1P1 (S1P receptor-1) modulators including fingolimod show promise for the treatment of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. However, S1P1 also coordinates lymphocyte trafficking, and lymphocytes are currently viewed as the principal therapeutic target for S1P1 modulation in stroke. OBJECTIVE: To address roles and mechanisms of engagement of endothelial cell S1P1 in the naive and ischemic brain and its potential as a target for cerebrovascular therapy. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using spatial modulation of S1P provision and signaling, we demonstrate a critical vascular protective role for endothelial S1P1 in the mouse brain. With an S1P1 signaling reporter, we reveal that abluminal polarization shields S1P1 from circulating endogenous and synthetic ligands after maturation of the blood-neural barrier, restricting homeostatic signaling to a subset of arteriolar endothelial cells. S1P1 signaling sustains hallmark endothelial functions in the naive brain and expands during ischemia by engagement of cell-autonomous S1P provision. Disrupting this pathway by endothelial cell-selective deficiency in S1P production, export, or the S1P1 receptor substantially exacerbates brain injury in permanent and transient models of ischemic stroke. By contrast, profound lymphopenia induced by loss of lymphocyte S1P1 provides modest protection only in the context of reperfusion. In the ischemic brain, endothelial cell S1P1 supports blood-brain barrier function, microvascular patency, and the rerouting of blood to hypoperfused brain tissue through collateral anastomoses. Boosting these functions by supplemental pharmacological engagement of the endothelial receptor pool with a blood-brain barrier penetrating S1P1-selective agonist can further reduce cortical infarct expansion in a therapeutically relevant time frame and independent of reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides genetic evidence to support a pivotal role for the endothelium in maintaining perfusion and microvascular patency in the ischemic penumbra that is coordinated by S1P signaling and can be harnessed for neuroprotection with blood-brain barrier-penetrating S1P1 agonists.

Gene expression changes in Tay-Sachs disease begin early in fetal brain development.

Treatment of monogenic disorders has historically relied on symptomatic management with limited ability to target primary molecular deficits. However, recent advances in gene therapy and related technologies aim to correct these underlying deficiencies, raising the possibility of disease management or even prevention for diseases that can be treated pre-symptomatically. Tay-Sachs disease (TSD) would be one such candidate, however very little is known about the presymptomatic stage of TSD. To better understand the effects of TSD on brain development, we evaluated the transcriptomes of human fetal brain samples with biallelic pathogenic variants in HEXA. We identified dramatic changes in the transcriptome, suggesting a perturbation of normal development. We also observed a shift in the expression of the sphingolipid metabolic pathway away from production of the HEXA substrate, GM2 ganglioside, presumptively to compensate for dysfunction of the enzyme. However, we do not observe transcriptomic signatures of end-stage disease, suggesting that developmental perturbations precede neurodegeneration. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the relationship between fetal disease pathology in juvenile onset TSD and the analysis of gene expression in fetal TSD tissues. This study highlights the need to better understand the "pre-symptomatic" stage of disease to set realistic expectations for patients receiving early therapeutic intervention.

Identification of two lipid phosphatases that regulate sphingosine-1-phosphate cellular uptake and recycling.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a sphingolipid metabolite that serves as a potent extracellular signaling molecule. Metabolic regulation of extracellular S1P levels impacts key cellular activities through altered S1P receptor signaling. Although the pathway through which S1P is degraded within the cell and thereby eliminated from reuse has been previously described, the mechanism used for S1P cellular uptake and the subsequent recycling of its sphingoid base into the sphingolipid synthesis pathway is not completely understood. To identify the genes within this S1P uptake and recycling pathway, we performed a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 KO screen using a positive-selection scheme with Shiga toxin, which binds a cell-surface glycosphingolipid receptor, globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), and causes lethality upon internalization. The screen was performed in HeLa cells with their sphingolipid de novo pathway disabled so that Gb3 cell-surface expression was dependent on salvage of the sphingoid base of S1P taken up from the medium. The screen identified a suite of genes necessary for S1P uptake and the recycling of its sphingoid base to synthesize Gb3, including two lipid phosphatases, PLPP3 (phospholipid phosphatase 3) and SGPP1 (S1P phosphatase 1). The results delineate a pathway in which plasma membrane-bound PLPP3 dephosphorylates extracellular S1P to sphingosine, which then enters cells and is rephosphorylated to S1P by the sphingosine kinases. This rephosphorylation step is important to regenerate intracellular S1P as a branch-point substrate that can be routed either for dephosphorylation to salvage sphingosine for recycling into complex sphingolipid synthesis or for degradation to remove it from the sphingolipid synthesis pathway.

Glucosylceramide synthase deficiency in the heart compromises ß1-adrenergic receptor trafficking.

AIMS: Cardiac injury and remodelling are associated with the rearrangement of cardiac lipids. Glycosphingolipids are membrane lipids that are important for cellular structure and function, and cardiac dysfunction is a characteristic of rare monogenic diseases with defects in glycosphingolipid synthesis and turnover. However, it is not known how cardiac glycosphingolipids regulate cellular processes in the heart. The aim of this study is to determine the role of cardiac glycosphingolipids in heart function. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using human myocardial biopsies, we showed that the glycosphingolipids glucosylceramide and lactosylceramide are present at very low levels in non-ischaemic human heart with normal function and are elevated during remodelling. Similar results were observed in mouse models of cardiac remodelling. We also generated mice with cardiomyocyte-specific deficiency in Ugcg, the gene encoding glucosylceramide synthase (hUgcg-/- mice). In 9- to 10-week-old hUgcg-/- mice, contractile capacity in response to dobutamine stress was reduced. Older hUgcg-/- mice developed severe heart failure and left ventricular dilatation even under baseline conditions and died prematurely. Using RNA-seq and cell culture models, we showed defective endolysosomal retrograde trafficking and autophagy in Ugcg-deficient cardiomyocytes. We also showed that responsiveness to ß-adrenergic stimulation was reduced in cardiomyocytes from hUgcg-/- mice and that Ugcg knockdown suppressed the internalization and trafficking of ß1-adrenergic receptors. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that cardiac glycosphingolipids are required to maintain ß-adrenergic signalling and contractile capacity in cardiomyocytes and to preserve normal heart function.

A genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen reveals that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor stimulates sphingolipid levels.

Sphingolipid biosynthesis generates lipids for membranes and signaling that are crucial for many developmental and physiological processes. In some cases, large amounts of specific sphingolipids must be synthesized for specialized physiological functions, such as during axon myelination. How sphingolipid synthesis is regulated to fulfill these physiological requirements is not known. To identify genes that positively regulate membrane sphingolipid levels, here we employed a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 loss-of-function screen in HeLa cells using selection for resistance to Shiga toxin, which uses a plasma membrane-associated glycosphingolipid, globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), for its uptake. The screen identified several genes in the sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway that are required for Gb3 synthesis, and it also identified the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a ligand-activated transcription factor widely involved in development and physiology, as being required for Gb3 biosynthesis. AHR bound and activated the gene promoter of serine palmitoyltransferase small subunit A (SPTSSA), which encodes a subunit of the serine palmitoyltransferase that catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step in de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis. AHR knockout HeLa cells exhibited significantly reduced levels of cell-surface Gb3, and both AHR knockout HeLa cells and tissues from Ahr knockout mice displayed decreased sphingolipid content as well as significantly reduced expression of several key genes in the sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway. The sciatic nerve of Ahr knockout mice exhibited both reduced ceramide content and reduced myelin thickness. These results indicate that AHR up-regulates sphingolipid levels and is important for full axon myelination, which requires elevated levels of membrane sphingolipids.

The receptor S1P1 overrides regulatory T cell-mediated immune suppression through Akt-mTOR.

Regulatory T cells (T(reg) cells) are critically involved in maintaining immunological tolerance, but this potent suppression must be 'quenched' to allow the generation of adaptive immune responses. Here we report that sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor type 1 (S1P1) delivers an intrinsic negative signal to restrain the thymic generation, peripheral maintenance and suppressive activity of T(reg) cells. Combining loss- and gain-of-function genetic approaches, we found that S1P1 blocked the differentiation of thymic T(reg) precursors and function of mature T(reg) cells and affected T(reg) cell-mediated immune tolerance. S1P1 induced selective activation of the Akt-mTOR kinase pathway to impede the development and function of T(reg) cells. Dynamic regulation of S1P1 contributed to lymphocyte priming and immune homeostasis. Thus, by antagonizing T(reg) cell-mediated immune suppression, the lipid-activated S1P1-Akt-mTOR pathway orchestrates adaptive immune responses.

HDL-bound sphingosine-1-phosphate restrains lymphopoiesis and neuroinflammation.

Lipid mediators influence immunity in myriad ways. For example, circulating sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a key regulator of lymphocyte egress. Although the majority of plasma S1P is bound to apolipoprotein M (ApoM) in the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particle, the immunological functions of the ApoM-S1P complex are unknown. Here we show that ApoM-S1P is dispensable for lymphocyte trafficking yet restrains lymphopoiesis by activating the S1P1 receptor on bone marrow lymphocyte progenitors. Mice that lacked ApoM (Apom(-/-)) had increased proliferation of Lin(-) Sca-1(+) cKit(+) haematopoietic progenitor cells (LSKs) and common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs) in bone marrow. Pharmacological activation or genetic overexpression of S1P1 suppressed LSK and CLP cell proliferation in vivo. ApoM was stably associated with bone marrow CLPs, which showed active S1P1 signalling in vivo. Moreover, ApoM-bound S1P, but not albumin-bound S1P, inhibited lymphopoiesis in vitro. Upon immune stimulation, Apom(-/-) mice developed more severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, characterized by increased lymphocytes in the central nervous system and breakdown of the blood-brain barrier. Thus, the ApoM-S1P-S1P1 signalling axis restrains the lymphocyte compartment and, subsequently, adaptive immune responses. Unique biological functions imparted by specific S1P chaperones could be exploited for novel therapeutic opportunities.

IGF2BP1 overexpression causes fetal-like hemoglobin expression patterns in cultured human adult erythroblasts.

Here we investigated in primary human erythroid tissues a downstream element of the heterochronic let-7 miRNA pathway, the insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1), for its potential to affect the hemoglobin profiles in human erythroblasts. Comparison of adult bone marrow to fetal liver lysates demonstrated developmental silencing in IGF2BP1. Erythroid-specific overexpression of IGF2BP1 caused a nearly complete and pancellular reversal of the adult pattern of hemoglobin expression toward a more fetal-like phenotype. The reprogramming of hemoglobin expression was achieved at the transcriptional level by increased gamma-globin combined with decreased beta-globin transcripts resulting in gamma-globin rising to 90% of total beta-like mRNA. Delta-globin mRNA was reduced to barely detectable levels. Alpha-globin levels were not significantly changed. Fetal hemoglobin achieved levels of 68.6 ± 3.9% in the IGF2BP1 overexpression samples compared with 5.0 ± 1.8% in donor matched transduction controls. In part, these changes were mediated by reduced protein expression of the transcription factor BCL11A. mRNA stability and polysome studies suggest IGF2BP1 mediates posttranscriptional loss of BCL11A. These results suggest a mechanism for chronoregulation of fetal and adult hemoglobin expression in humans.

A perilous path: the inborn errors of sphingolipid metabolism.

The sphingolipid (SL) metabolic pathway generates structurally diverse lipids that have roles as membrane constituents and as bioactive signaling molecules. The influence of the SL metabolic pathway in biology is pervasive; it exists in all mammalian cells and has roles in many cellular and physiological pathways. Human genetic diseases have long been recognized to be caused by mutations in the pathway, but until recently these mutational defects were only known to affect lysosomal SL degradation. Now, with a nearly complete delineation of the genes constituting the SL metabolic pathway, a growing number of additional genetic disorders caused by mutations in genes within other sectors of the pathway (de novo ceramide synthesis, glycosphingolipid synthesis, and nonlysosomal SL degradation) have been recognized. Although these inborn disorders of SL metabolism are clinically heterogeneous, some common pathogenic mechanisms, derived from the unique properties and functions of the SLs, underlie several of the diseases. These mechanisms include overaccumulation of toxic or bioactive lipids and the disruption of specific critical cellular and physiological processes. Many of these diseases also have commonalities in physiological systems affected, such as the nervous system and skin. While inborn disorders of SL metabolism are rare, gene variants in the pathway have been linked to increased susceptibility to Parkinson's disease and childhood asthma, implying that the SL metabolic pathway may have a role in these disorders. A more complete understanding of the inborn errors of SL metabolism promises new insights into the convergence of their pathogenesis with those of common human diseases.

Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Enhances α1-Adrenergic Vasoconstriction via S1P2-G12/13-ROCK Mediated Signaling.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) has been implicated recently in the physiology and pathology of the cardiovascular system including regulation of vascular tone. Pilot experiments showed that the vasoconstrictor effect of S1P was enhanced markedly in the presence of phenylephrine (PE). Based on this observation, we hypothesized that S1P might modulate α1-adrenergic vasoactivity. In murine aortas, a 20-minute exposure to S1P but not to its vehicle increased the Emax and decreased the EC50 of PE-induced contractions indicating a hyperreactivity to α1-adrenergic stimulation. The potentiating effect of S1P disappeared in S1P2 but not in S1P3 receptor-deficient vessels. In addition, smooth muscle specific conditional deletion of G12/13 proteins or pharmacological inhibition of the Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) by Y-27632 or fasudil abolished the effect of S1P on α1-adrenergic vasoconstriction. Unexpectedly, PE-induced contractions remained enhanced markedly as late as three hours after S1P-exposure in wild-type (WT) and S1P3 KO but not in S1P2 KO vessels. In conclusion, the S1P-S1P2-G12/13-ROCK signaling pathway appears to have a major influence on α1-adrenergic vasoactivity. This cooperativity might lead to sustained vasoconstriction when increased sympathetic tone is accompanied by increased S1P production as it occurs during acute coronary syndrome and stroke.

Cerebral organoids derived from Sandhoff disease-induced pluripotent stem cells exhibit impaired neurodifferentiation.

Sandhoff disease, one of the GM2 gangliosidoses, is a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by the absence of ß-hexosaminidase A and B activity and the concomitant lysosomal accumulation of its substrate, GM2 ganglioside. It features catastrophic neurodegeneration and death in early childhood. How the lysosomal accumulation of ganglioside might affect the early development of the nervous system is not understood. Recently, cerebral organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have illuminated early developmental events altered by disease processes. To develop an early neurodevelopmental model of Sandhoff disease, we first generated iPS cells from the fibroblasts of an infantile Sandhoff disease patient, then corrected one of the mutant HEXB alleles in those iPS cells using CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing technology, thereby creating isogenic controls. Next, we used the parental Sandhoff disease iPS cells and isogenic HEXB-corrected iPS cell clones to generate cerebral organoids that modeled the first trimester of neurodevelopment. The Sandhoff disease organoids, but not the HEXB-corrected organoids, accumulated GM2 ganglioside and exhibited increased size and cellular proliferation compared with the HEXB-corrected organoids. Whole-transcriptome analysis demonstrated that development was impaired in the Sandhoff disease organoids, suggesting that alterations in neuronal differentiation may occur during early development in the GM2 gangliosidoses.

De Novo Sphingolipid Biosynthesis Is Required for Adipocyte Survival and Metabolic Homeostasis.

Sphingolipids are a diverse class of essential cellular lipids that function as structural membrane components and as signaling molecules. Cells acquire sphingolipids by both de novo biosynthesis and recycling of exogenous sphingolipids. The individual importance of these pathways for the generation of essential sphingolipids in differentiated cells is not well understood. To investigate the requirement for de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis in adipocytes, a cell type with highly regulated lipid metabolism, we generated mice with an adipocyte-specific deletion of Sptlc1 Sptlc1 is an obligate subunit of serine palmitoyltransferase, the enzyme responsible for the first and rate-limiting step of de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis. These mice, which initially developed adipose tissue, exhibited a striking age-dependent loss of adipose tissue accompanied by evidence of adipocyte death, increased macrophage infiltration, and tissue fibrosis. Adipocyte differentiation was not affected by the Sptlc1 deletion. The mice also had elevated fasting blood glucose, fatty liver, and insulin resistance. Collectively, these data indicate that de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis is required for adipocyte cell viability and normal metabolic function and that reduced de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis within adipocytes is associated with adipocyte death, adipose tissue remodeling, and metabolic dysfunction.