Autologous cell transplantation for treatment of colorectal aganglionosis in mice.

Neurointestinal diseases cause significant morbidity and effective treatments are lacking. This study aimes to test the feasibility of transplanting autologous enteric neural stem cells (ENSCs) to rescue the enteric nervous system (ENS) in a model of colonic aganglionosis. ENSCs are isolated from a segment of small intestine from Wnt1::Cre;R26iDTR mice in which focal colonic aganglionosis is simultaneously created by diphtheria toxin injection. Autologous ENSCs are isolated, expanded, labeled with lentiviral-GFP, and transplanted into the aganglionic segment in vivo. ENSCs differentiate into neurons and glia, cluster to form neo-ganglia, and restore colonic contractile activity as shown by electrical field stimulation and optogenetics. Using a non-lethal model of colonic aganglionosis, our results demonstrate the potential of autologous ENSC therapy to improve functional outcomes in neurointestinal disease, laying the groundwork for clinical application of this regenerative cell-based approach.

Optogenetic Activation of Cholinergic Enteric Neurons Reduces Inflammation in Experimental Colitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Intestinal inflammation is associated with loss of enteric cholinergic neurons. Given the systemic anti-inflammatory role of cholinergic innervation, we hypothesized that enteric cholinergic neurons similarly possess anti-inflammatory properties and may represent a novel target to treat inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS: Mice were fed 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) for 7 days to induce colitis. Cholinergic enteric neurons, which express choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), were focally ablated in the midcolon of ChAT::Cre;R26-iDTR mice by local injection of diphtheria toxin before colitis induction. Activation of enteric cholinergic neurons was achieved using ChAT::Cre;R26-ChR2 mice, in which ChAT+ neurons express channelrhodopsin-2, with daily blue light stimulation delivered via an intracolonic probe during the 7 days of DSS treatment. Colitis severity, ENS structure, and smooth muscle contractility were assessed by histology, immunohistochemistry, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, organ bath, and electromyography. In vitro studies assessed the anti-inflammatory role of enteric cholinergic neurons on cultured muscularis macrophages. RESULTS: Ablation of ChAT+ neurons in DSS-treated mice exacerbated colitis, as measured by weight loss, colon shortening, histologic inflammation, and CD45+ cell infiltration, and led to colonic dysmotility. Conversely, optogenetic activation of enteric cholinergic neurons improved colitis, preserved smooth muscle contractility, protected against loss of cholinergic neurons, and reduced proinflammatory cytokine production. Both acetylcholine and optogenetic cholinergic neuron activation in vitro reduced proinflammatory cytokine expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated muscularis macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show that enteric cholinergic neurons have an anti-inflammatory role in the colon and should be explored as a potential inflammatory bowel disease treatment.

Differentiated neuroblastoma cells remain epigenetically poised for de-differentiation to an immature state.

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor of childhood and accounts for a significant share of childhood cancer deaths. Prior studies utilizing RNA sequencing of bulk tumor populations showed two predominant cell states characterized by high and low expression of neuronal genes. Although cells respond to treatment by altering their gene expression, it is unclear whether this reflects shifting balances of distinct subpopulations or plasticity of individual cells. Using mouse and human neuroblastoma cell lines lacking MYCN amplification, we show that the antigen CD49b (also known as ITGA2) distinguishes these subpopulations. CD49b expression marked proliferative cells with an immature gene expression program, whereas CD49b-negative cells expressed differentiated neuronal marker genes and were non-cycling. Sorted populations spontaneously switched between CD49b expression states in culture, and CD49b-negative cells could generate rapidly growing, CD49b-positive tumors in mice. Although treatment with the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin selectively killed CD49b-positive cells in culture, the CD49b-positive population recovered when treatment was withdrawn. We profiled histone 3 (H3) lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) to identify enhancers and super enhancers that were specifically active in each population and found that CD49b-negative cells maintained the priming H3 lysine 4 methylation (H3K4me1) mark at elements that were active in cells with high expression of CD49b. Improper maintenance of primed enhancer elements might thus underlie cellular plasticity in neuroblastoma, representing potential therapeutic targets for this lethal tumor.

Small GTP-binding protein Rap1 mediates EGF and HB-EGF signaling and modulates EGF receptor expression in HTR-8/SVneo extravillous trophoblast cells.

Purpose: Extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) invade the endometrium to establish a fetomaternal interaction during pregnancy. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) stimulate EVT invasion by binding to the EGF receptor (EGFR). We examined the role of the small GTP-binding protein Rap1 in EGF- and HB-EGF-stimulated EVT invasion. Methods: Expression of Rap1 in the first-trimester placenta was examined by immunohistochemistry. Effect of EGF or HB-EGF on Rap1 activation (GTP-Rap1) and Rap1 knockdown on invasion was assessed in EVT cell line (HTR-8/SVneo). In addition, effect of Rap1 knockdown and Rap1GAP (a Rap1 inactivator) overexpression on the activation of EGF signaling and EGFR expression were examined. Results: Rap1 was expressed by EVTs, villous cytotrophoblasts, and syncytiotrophoblasts in the placenta. EGF and HB-EGF activated Rap1 and promoted invasion of HTR-8/SVneo, and these effects were inhibited by Rap1 knockdown. The EGF- and HB-EGF-induced phosphorylation of AKT, ERK1/2, p38MAPK, and Src was inhibited by Rap1 knockdown. Furthermore, the knockdown of Rap1 reduced the EGFR protein level. Overexpression of Rap1GAP repressed EGF- and HB-EGF-induced Rap1 activation and reduced EGFR expression. Conclusion: Rap1 may function as a mediator of EGF and HB-EGF signaling pathways and can modulate EGFR expression in EVTs during placental development.

Discovery of a Novel Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Candidate WFQ-228 with Potent Antimicrobial Activity and the Potential to Overcome Major Drug Resistance.

WFQ-101 with a unique N-1 substituent, 5-amino-4-fluoro-2-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl group, was selected as a lead compound through combination screening based on antimicrobial activity and the efflux index against quinolone-resistant (QR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). Through structural optimization, we identified WFQ-228 as a novel fluoroquinolone antibiotic candidate. WFQ-228 had potent and superior activity in comparison to levofloxacin (LVX) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) against clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii, including QR strains. Furthermore, WFQ-228 demonstrated the potential to overcome major mechanisms of drug resistance; its antimicrobial activity was less affected by both pump-mediated efflux and mutations of the quinolone resistance-determining region in P. aeruginosa compared with LVX and CIP. These results suggest that WFQ-228 is a promising candidate for further evaluation in the treatment of infections caused by QR Gram-negative pathogens.

Coronaridine, an iboga type alkaloid from Tabernaemontana divaricata, inhibits the Wnt signaling pathway by decreasing ß-catenin mRNA expression.

Four alkaloids, voacangine (1), isovoacangine (2), coronaridine (3), and coronaridine hydroxyindolenine (4), were isolated from the MeOH extract of Tabernaemontana divaricata aerial parts by activity-guided fractionation for Wnt signal inhibitory activity. Compounds 1-4 exhibited TCF/ß-catenin inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 11.5, 6.0, 5.8, and 7.3 µM, respectively. Of these, coronaridine (3) decreased ß-catenin levels in SW480 colon cancer cells, while this decrease in ß-catenin was not suppressed by a co-treatment with 3 and MG132, a proteasome inhibitor. These results suggested that the decrease observed in ß-catenin levels by coronaridine (3) did not depend on a proteasomal degradation process. On the other hand, the treatment of SW480 cells with coronaridine (3) caused a decrease in ß-catenin mRNA levels. Thus, coronaridine (3) may inhibit the Wnt signaling pathway by decreasing the mRNA expression of ß-catenin.

9-Hydroxycanthin-6-one, a ß-Carboline Alkaloid from Eurycoma longifolia, Is the First Wnt Signal Inhibitor through Activation of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3ß without Depending on Casein Kinase 1α.

Wnt signaling regulates various processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and embryo development. However, numerous diseases have been attributed to the aberrant transduction of Wnt signaling. We screened a plant extract library targeting TCF/ß-catenin transcriptional modulating activity with a cell-based luciferase assay. Activity-guided fractionation of the MeOH extract of the E. longifolia root led to the isolation of 9-hydroxycanthin-6-one (1). Compound 1 exhibited TCF/ß-catenin inhibitory activity. Compound 1 decreased the expression of Wnt signal target genes, mitf and zic2a, in zebrafish embryos. Treatment of SW480 cells with 1 decreased ß-catenin and increased phosphorylated ß-catenin (Ser 33, 37, Tyr 41) protein levels. The degradation of ß-catenin by 1 was suppressed by GSK3ß-siRNA, while compound 1 decreased ß-catenin even in the presence of CK1α-siRNA. These results suggest that 1 inhibits Wnt signaling through the activation of GSK3ß independent of CK1α.

Ricinine: a pyridone alkaloid from Ricinus communis that activates the Wnt signaling pathway through casein kinase 1α.

Wnt signaling plays important roles in proliferation, differentiation, development of cells, and various diseases. Activity-guided fractionation of the MeOH extract of the Ricinus communis stem led to the isolation of four compounds (1-4). The TCF/ß-catenin transcription activities of 1 and 3 were 2.2 and 2.5 fold higher at 20 and 30µM, respectively. Cells treated with ricinine (1) had higher ß-catenin and lower of p-ß-catenin (ser 33, 37, 45, Thr 41) protein levels, whereas glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK3ß) and casein kinase 1α (CK1α) protein levels remained unchanged. Cells treated with pyrvinium, an activator of CK1α, had lower ß-catenin levels. However, the combined treatment of pyrvinium and 1 led to higher ß-catenin levels than those in cells treated with pyrvinium alone, which suggested that 1 inhibited CK1α activity. Furthermore, 1 increased ß-catenin protein levels in zebrafish embryos. These results indicated that 1 activated the Wnt signaling pathway by inhibiting CK1α.