Downregulation of Mirlet7 miRNA family promotes Tc17 differentiation and emphysema via de-repression of RORγt.

Environmental air irritants including nanosized carbon black (nCB) can drive systemic inflammation, promoting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema development. The let-7 microRNA (Mirlet7 miRNA) family is associated with IL-17-driven T cell inflammation, a canonical signature of lung inflammation. Recent evidence suggests the Mirlet7 family is downregulated in patients with COPD, however, whether this repression conveys a functional consequence on emphysema pathology has not been elucidated. Here, we show that overall expression of the Mirlet7 clusters, Mirlet7b/Mirlet7c2 and Mirlet7a1/Mirlet7f1/Mirlet7d, are reduced in the lungs and T cells of smokers with emphysema as well as in mice with cigarette smoke (CS)- or nCB-elicited emphysema. We demonstrate that loss of the Mirlet7b/Mirlet7c2 cluster in T cells predisposed mice to exaggerated CS- or nCB-elicited emphysema. Furthermore, ablation of the Mirlet7b/Mirlet7c2 cluster enhanced CD8+IL17a+ T cells (Tc17) formation in emphysema development in mice. Additionally, transgenic mice overexpressing Mirlet7g in T cells are resistant to Tc17 and CD4+IL17a+ T cells (Th17) development when exposed to nCB. Mechanistically, our findings reveal the master regulator of Tc17/Th17 differentiation, RAR-related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt), as a direct target of Mirlet7 in T cells. Overall, our findings shed light on the Mirlet7/RORγt axis with Mirlet7 acting as a molecular brake in the generation of Tc17 cells and suggest a novel therapeutic approach for tempering the augmented IL-17-mediated response in emphysema.

Downregulation of Let-7 miRNA promotes Tc17 differentiation and emphysema via de-repression of RORγt.

Environmental air irritants including nanosized carbon black (nCB) can drive systemic inflammation, promoting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema development. The let-7 family of miRNAs is associated with IL-17-driven T cell inflammation, a canonical signature of lung inflammation. Recent evidence suggests the let-7 family is downregulated in patients with COPD, however, whether this repression conveys a functional consequence on emphysema pathology has not been elucidated. Here we show that overall expression of the let-7 miRNA clusters, let-7b/let-7c2 and let-7a1/let-7f1/let-7d, are reduced in the lungs and T cells of smokers with emphysema as well as in mice with cigarette smoke (CS)- or nCB-elicited emphysema. We demonstrate that loss of the let-7b/let-7c2-cluster in T cells predisposed mice to exaggerated CS- or nCB-elicited emphysema. Furthermore, ablation of the let-7b/let-7c2-cluster enhanced CD8+IL17a+ T cells (Tc17) formation in emphysema development in mice. Additionally, transgenic mice overexpressing let-7 in T cells are resistant to Tc17 and CD4+IL17a+ T cells (Th17) development when exposed to nCB. Mechanistically, our findings reveal the master regulator of Tc17/Th17 differentiation, RAR-related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt), as a direct target of let-7 miRNA in T cells. Overall, our findings shed light on the let-7/RORγt axis with let-7 acting as a molecular brake in the generation of Tc17 cells and suggests a novel therapeutic approach for tempering the augmented IL-17-mediated response in emphysema.

Loss of cytochrome P450 (CYP)1B1 mitigates hyperoxia response in adult mouse lung by reprogramming metabolism and translation.

Oxygen supplementation is life saving for premature infants and for COVID-19 patients but can induce long-term pulmonary injury by triggering inflammation, with xenobiotic-metabolizing CYP enzymes playing a critical role. Murine studies showed that CYP1B1 enhances, while CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 protect from, hyperoxic lung injury. In this study we tested the hypothesis that Cyp1b1-null mice would revert hyperoxia-induced transcriptomic changes observed in WT mice at the transcript and pathway level. Wild type (WT) C57BL/6J and Cyp1b1-null mice aged 8-10 weeks were maintained in room air (21% O2) or exposed to hyperoxia (>95% O2) for 48h. Transcriptomic profiling was conducted using the Illumina microarray platform. Hyperoxia exposure led to robust changes in gene expression and in the same direction in WT, Cyp1a1-, Cyp1a2-, and Cyp1b1-null mice, but to different extents for each mouse genotype. At the transcriptome level, all Cyp1-null murine models reversed hyperoxia effects. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis identified 118 hyperoxia-affected pathways mitigated only in Cyp1b1-null mice, including lipid, glutamate, and amino acid metabolism. Cell cycle genes Cdkn1a and Ccnd1 were induced by hyperoxia in both WT and Cyp1b1-null mice but mitigated in Cyp1b1-null O2 compared to WT O2 mice. Hyperoxia gene signatures associated positively with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), which occurs in premature infants (with supplemental oxygen being one of the risk factors), but only in the Cyp1b1-null mice did the gene profile after hyperoxia exposure show a partial rescue of BPD-associated transcriptome. Our study suggests that CYP1B1 plays a pro-oxidant role in hyperoxia-induced lung injury.

Transcriptome, proteome, and protein synthesis within the intracellular cytomatrix.

Despite the knowledge that protein translation and various metabolic reactions that create and sustain cellular life occur in the cytoplasm, the structural organization within the cytoplasm remains unclear. Recent models indicate that cytoplasm contains viscous fluid and elastic solid phases. We separated these viscous fluid and solid elastic compartments, which we call the cytosol and cytomatrix, respectively. The distinctive composition of the cytomatrix included structural proteins, ribosomes, and metabolome enzymes. High-throughput analysis revealed unique biosynthetic pathways within the cytomatrix. Enrichment of biosynthetic pathways in the cytomatrix indicated the presence of immobilized biocatalysis. Enzymatic immobilization and segregation can surmount spatial impediments, and the local pathway segregation may form cytoplasmic organelles. Protein translation was reprogrammed within the cytomatrix under the restriction of protein synthesis by drug treatment. The cytosol and cytomatrix are an elaborately interconnected network that promotes operational flexibility in healthy cells and the survival of malignant cells.

Integrative metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis reveals novel therapeutic vulnerabilities in lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprises the majority (~85%) of all lung tumors, with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) being the most frequently diagnosed histological subtypes. Multi-modal omics profiling has been carried out in NSCLC, but no studies have yet reported a unique metabolite-related gene signature and altered metabolic pathways associated with LUAD and LUSC. METHODS: We integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics to analyze 30 human lung tumors and adjacent noncancerous tissues. Differential co-expression was used to identify modules of metabolites that were altered between normal and tumor. RESULTS: We identified unique metabolite-related gene signatures specific for LUAD and LUSC and key pathways aberrantly regulated at both transcriptional and metabolic levels. Differential co-expression analysis revealed that loss of coherence between metabolites in tumors is a major characteristic in both LUAD and LUSC. We identified one metabolic onco-module gained in LUAD, characterized by nine metabolites and 57 metabolic genes. Multi-omics integrative analysis revealed a 28 metabolic gene signature associated with poor survival in LUAD, with six metabolite-related genes as individual prognostic markers. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the clinical utility of this integrated metabolic gene signature in LUAD by using it to guide repurposing of AZD-6482, a PI3Kß inhibitor which significantly inhibited three genes from the 28-gene signature. Overall, we have integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses to show that LUAD and LUSC have distinct profiles, inferred gene signatures with prognostic value for patient survival, and identified therapeutic targets and repurposed drugs for potential use in NSCLC treatment.

Deletion of the Lmna gene in fibroblasts causes senescence-associated dilated cardiomyopathy by activating the double-stranded DNA damage response and induction of senescence-associated secretory phenotype.

Introduction: Mutations in the LMNA gene, encoding Lamin A/C (LMNA), are established causes of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The phenotype is typically characterized by progressive cardiac conduction defects, arrhythmias, heart failure, and premature death. DCM is primarily considered a disease of cardiac myocytes. However, LMNA is also expressed in other cardiac cell types, including fibroblasts. Aim: The purpose of the study was to determine the contribution of the fibroblasts to DCM caused by LMNA deficiency. Methods and Results: The Lmna gene was deleted by crossing the platelet-derived growth factor receptor α-Cre recombinase (Pdgfra-Cre) and floxed Lmna (Lmna F/F) mice. The LMNA protein was nearly absent in ~80% of the cardiac fibroblasts and ~25% of cardiac myocytes in the Pdgfra-Cre:Lmna F/F mice. The Pdgfra-Cre:Lmna F/F mice showed an early phenotype characterized by cardiac conduction defects, arrhythmias, cardiac dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis, apoptosis, and premature death within the first six weeks of life. The Pdgfra-Cre:Lmna wild type/F (Lmna W/F) mice also showed a similar but slowly evolving phenotype that was expressed within one year of age. RNA sequencing of LMNA-deficient and wild-type cardiac fibroblasts identified differential expression of ~410 genes, which predicted activation of the TP53 and TNFA/NFκB and suppression of the cell cycle pathways. In agreement with these findings, levels of phospho-H2AFX, ATM, phospho-TP53, and CDKN1A, markers of the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway, were increased in the Pdgfra-Cre:Lmna F/F mouse hearts. Moreover, expression of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase was induced and levels of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) proteins TGFß1, CTGF (CCN2), and LGLAS3 were increased as well as the transcript levels of additional genes encoding SASP proteins in the Pdgfra-Cre:Lmna F/F mouse hearts. Finally, expression of pH2AFX, a bonafide marker of the double-stranded DNA breaks, was increased in cardiac fibroblasts isolated from the Pdgfra-Cre:Lmna F/F mouse hearts. Conclusion: Deletion of the Lmna gene in fibroblasts partially recapitulates the phenotype of the LMNA-associated DCM, likely through induction of double-stranded DNA breaks, activation of the DDR pathway, and induction of expression of the SASP proteins. The findings indicate that the phenotype in the LMNA-associated DCM is the aggregate consequence of the LMNA deficiency in multiple cardiac cells, including cardiac fibroblasts.

Cistrome and transcriptome analysis identifies unique androgen receptor (AR) and AR-V7 splice variant chromatin binding and transcriptional activities.

The constitutively active androgen receptor (AR) splice variant, AR-V7, plays an important role in resistance to androgen deprivation therapy in castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Studies seeking to determine whether AR-V7 is a partial mimic of the AR, or also has unique activities, and whether the AR-V7 cistrome contains unique binding sites have yielded conflicting results. One limitation in many studies has been the low level of AR variant compared to AR. Here, LNCaP and VCaP cell lines in which AR-V7 expression can be induced to match the level of AR, were used to compare the activities of AR and AR-V7. The two AR isoforms shared many targets, but overall had distinct transcriptomes. Optimal induction of novel targets sometimes required more receptor isoform than classical targets such as PSA. The isoforms displayed remarkably different cistromes with numerous differential binding sites. Some of the unique AR-V7 sites were located proximal to the transcription start sites (TSS). A de novo binding motif similar to a half ARE was identified in many AR-V7 preferential sites and, in contrast to conventional half ARE sites that bind AR-V7, FOXA1 was not enriched at these sites. This supports the concept that the AR isoforms have unique actions with the potential to serve as biomarkers or novel therapeutic targets.

Metabolome and microbiome multi-omics integration from a murine lung inflammation model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory tract microbial dysbiosis can exacerbate inflammation and conversely inflammation may cause dysbiosis. Dysbiotic microbiome metabolites may lead to bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Hyperoxia and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) interaction alters lung microbiome and metabolome, mediating BPD lung injury sequence. METHODS: C57BL6/J mice were exposed to 21% (normoxia) or 70% (hyperoxia) oxygen during postnatal days (PND) 1-14. Pups were injected with LPS (6 mg/kg) or equal PBS volume, intraperitoneally on PND 3, 5, and 7. At PND14, the lungs were collected for microbiome and metabolomic analyses (n = 5/group). RESULTS: Microbiome alpha and beta diversity were similar between groups. Metabolic changes included hyperoxia 31 up/18 down, LPS 7 up/4 down, exposure interaction 8. Hyperoxia increased Intestinimonas abundance, whereas LPS decreased Clostridiales, Dorea, and Intestinimonas; exposure interaction affected Blautia. Differential co-expression analysis on multi-omics data identified exposure-altered modules. Hyperoxia metabolomics response was integrated with a published matching transcriptome, identifying four induced genes (ALDOA, GAA, NEU1, RENBP), which positively correlated with BPD severity in a published human newborn cohort. CONCLUSIONS: We report hyperoxia and LPS lung microbiome and metabolome signatures in a clinically relevant BPD model. We identified four genes correlating with BPD status in preterm infants that are promising targets for therapy and prevention. IMPACT: Using multi-omics, we identified and correlated key biomarkers of hyperoxia and LPS on murine lung micro-landscape and examined their potential clinical implication, which shows strong clinical relevance for future research. Using a double-hit model of clinical relevance to bronchopulmonary dysplasia, we are the first to report integrated metabolomic/microbiome landscape changes and identify novel disease biomarker candidates.

Syndecan-2 regulates PAD2 to exert antifibrotic effects on RA-ILD fibroblasts.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) is the most common pulmonary complication of RA, increasing morbidity and mortality. Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies have been associated with the development and progression of both RA and fibrotic lung disease; however, the role of protein citrullination in RA-ILD remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the expression of peptidylarginine deiminase 2 (PAD2), an enzyme that catalyzes protein citrullination, is increased in lung homogenates from subjects with RA-ILD and their lung fibroblasts. Chemical inhibition or genetic knockdown of PAD2 in RA-ILD fibroblasts attenuated their activation, marked by decreased myofibroblast differentiation, gel contraction, and extracellular matrix gene expression. Treatment of RA-ILD fibroblasts with the proteoglycan syndecan-2 (SDC2) yielded similar antifibrotic effects through regulation of PAD2 expression, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt signaling, and Sp1 activation in a CD148-dependent manner. Furthermore, SDC2-transgenic mice exposed to bleomycin-induced lung injury in an inflammatory arthritis model expressed lower levels of PAD2 and were protected from the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Together, our results support a SDC2-sensitive profibrotic role for PAD2 in RA-ILD fibroblasts and identify PAD2 as a promising therapeutic target of RA-ILD.

Characterization of the COPD alveolar niche using single-cell RNA sequencing.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death worldwide, however our understanding of cell specific mechanisms underlying COPD pathobiology remains incomplete. Here, we analyze single-cell RNA sequencing profiles of explanted lung tissue from subjects with advanced COPD or control lungs, and we validate findings using single-cell RNA sequencing of lungs from mice exposed to 10 months of cigarette smoke, RNA sequencing of isolated human alveolar epithelial cells, functional in vitro models, and in situ hybridization and immunostaining of human lung tissue samples. We identify a subpopulation of alveolar epithelial type II cells with transcriptional evidence for aberrant cellular metabolism and reduced cellular stress tolerance in COPD. Using transcriptomic network analyses, we predict capillary endothelial cells are inflamed in COPD, particularly through increased CXCL-motif chemokine signaling. Finally, we detect a high-metallothionein expressing macrophage subpopulation enriched in advanced COPD. Collectively, these findings highlight cell-specific mechanisms involved in the pathobiology of advanced COPD.

The EP300/TP53 pathway, a suppressor of the Hippo and canonical WNT pathways, is activated in human hearts with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy in the absence of overt heart failure.

AIMS: Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is a primary myocardial disease that typically manifests with cardiac arrhythmias, progressive heart failure, and sudden cardiac death (SCD). ACM is mainly caused by mutations in genes encoding desmosome proteins. Desmosomes are cell-cell adhesion structures and hubs for mechanosensing and mechanotransduction. The objective was to identify the dysregulated molecular and biological pathways in human ACM in the absence of overt heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Transcriptomes in the right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy samples from three independent individuals carrying truncating mutations in the DSP gene and five control samples were analysed by RNA-Seq (discovery group). These cases presented with cardiac arrhythmias and had a normal right ventricular function. The RNA-Seq analysis identified ∼5000 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which predicted suppression of the Hippo and canonical WNT pathways, among others. Dysregulated genes and pathways, identified by RNA-Seq, were tested for validation in the right and left ventricular tissues from five independent autopsy-confirmed ACM cases with defined mutations (validation group), who were victims of SCD and had no history of heart failure. Protein levels and nuclear localization of the cWNT and Hippo pathway transcriptional regulators were reduced in the right and left ventricular validation samples. In contrast, levels of acetyltransferase EP300, known to suppress the Hippo and canonical WNT pathways, were increased and its bona fide target TP53 was acetylated. RNA-Seq data identified apical junction, reflective of cell-cell attachment, as the most disrupted biological pathway, which were corroborated by disrupted desmosomes and intermediate filament structures. Moreover, the DEGs also predicted dysregulation of over a dozen canonical signal transduction pathways, including the Tec kinase and integrin signalling pathways. The changes were associated with increased apoptosis and fibro-adipogenesis in the ACM hearts. CONCLUSION: Altered apical junction structures are associated with activation of the EP300-TP53 and suppression of the Hippo/cWNT pathways in human ACM caused by defined mutations in the absence of an overt heart failure. The findings implicate altered mechanotransduction in the pathogenesis of ACM.

Effect of substrate stiffness on human intestinal enteroids' infectivity by enteroaggregative Escherichia coli.

Human intestinal enteroids (HIE) models have contributed significantly to our understanding of diarrheal diseases and other intestinal infections, but their routine culture conditions fail to mimic the mechanical environment of the native intestinal wall. Because the mechanical characteristics of the intestine significantly alter how pathogens interact with the intestinal epithelium, we used different concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to generate soft (~2 kPa), medium (~10 kPa), and stiff (~100 kPa) hydrogel biomaterial scaffolds. The height of HIEs cultured in monolayers atop these hydrogels was 18 µm whereas HIEs grown on rigid tissue culture surfaces (with stiffness in the GPa range) were 10 µm. Substrate stiffness also influenced the amount of enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC strain 042) adhered to the HIEs. We quantified a striking difference in adherence pattern; on the medium and soft gels, the bacteria formed clusters of > 100 and even > 1000 on both duodenal and jejunal HIEs (such as would be found in biofilms), but did not on glass slides and stiff hydrogels. All hydrogel cultured HIEs showed significant enrichment for gene and signaling pathways related to epithelial differentiation, cell junctions and adhesions, extracellular matrix, mucins, and cell signaling compared to the HIEs cultured on rigid tissue culture surfaces. Collectively, these results indicate that the HIE monolayers cultured on the hydrogels are primed for a robust engagement with their mechanical environment, and that the soft hydrogels promote the formation of larger EAEC aggregates, likely through an indirect differential effect on mucus. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Enteroids are a form of in vitro experimental mini-guts created from intestinal stem cells. Enteroids are usually cultured in 3D within Matrigel atop rigid glass or plastic substrates, which fail to mimic the native intestinal mechanical environment. Because intestinal mechanics significantly alter how pathogens interact with the intestinal epithelium, we grew human intestinal enteroids in 2D atop polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel scaffolds that were soft, medium, or stiff. Compared with enteroids grown in 2D atop glass or plastic, the enteroids grown on hydrogels were taller and more enriched in mechanobiology-related gene signaling pathways. Additionally, enteroids on the softest hydrogels supported adhesion of large aggregates of enteroaggregative E. coli. Thus, this platform offers a more biomimetic model for studying enteric diseases.

A model of the aged lung epithelium in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an age-related disorder that carries a universally poor prognosis and is thought to arise from repetitive micro injuries to the alveolar epithelium. To date, a major factor limiting our understanding of IPF is a deficiency of disease models, particularly in vitro models that can recapitulate the full complement of molecular attributes in the human condition. In this study, we aimed to develop a model that more closely resembles the aberrant IPF lung epithelium. By exposing mouse alveolar epithelial cells to repeated, low doses of bleomycin, instead of usual one-time exposures, we uncovered changes strikingly similar to those in the IPF lung epithelium. This included the acquisition of multiple phenotypic and functional characteristics of senescent cells and the adoption of previously described changes in mitochondrial homeostasis, including alterations in redox balance, energy production and activity of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response. We also uncovered dramatic changes in cellular metabolism and detected a profound loss of proteostasis, as characterized by the accumulation of cytoplasmic protein aggregates, dysregulated expression of chaperone proteins and decreased activity of the ubiquitin proteasome system. In summary, we describe an in vitro model that closely resembles the aberrant lung epithelium in IPF. We propose that this simple yet powerful tool could help uncover new biological mechanisms and assist in developing new pharmacological tools to treat the disease.

Characterization of perfusion decellularized whole animal body, isolated organs, and multi-organ systems for tissue engineering applications.

To expand the application of perfusion decellularization beyond isolated single organs, we used the native vasculature of adult and neonatal rats to systemically decellularize the organs of a whole animal in situ. Acellular scaffolds were generated from kidney, liver, lower limb, heart-lung system, and a whole animal body, demonstrating that perfusion decellularization technology is applicable to any perfusable tissue, independent of age. Biochemical and histological analyses demonstrated that organs and organ systems (heart-lung pair and lower limb) were successfully decellularized, retaining their extracellular matrix (ECM) structure and organ-specific composition, as evidenced by differences in organ-specific scaffold stiffness. Altogether, we demonstrated that organs, organ systems and whole animal bodies can be perfusion decellularized while retaining ECM components and biomechanics.

CD148 Deficiency in Fibroblasts Promotes the Development of Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Rationale: CD148/PTRJ (receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase η) exerts antifibrotic effects in experimental pulmonary fibrosis via interactions with its ligand syndecan-2; however, the role of CD148 in human pulmonary fibrosis remains incompletely characterized.Objectives: We investigated the role of CD148 in the profibrotic phenotype of fibroblasts in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).Methods: Conditional CD148 fibroblast-specific knockout mice were generated and exposed to bleomycin and then assessed for pulmonary fibrosis. Lung fibroblasts (mouse lung and human IPF lung), and precision-cut lung slices from human patients with IPF were isolated and subjected to experimental treatments. A CD148-activating 18-aa mimetic peptide (SDC2-pep) derived from syndecan-2 was evaluated for its therapeutic potential.Measurements and Main Results: CD148 expression was downregulated in IPF lungs and fibroblasts. In human IPF lung fibroblasts, silencing of CD148 increased extracellular matrix production and resistance to apoptosis, whereas overexpression of CD148 reversed the profibrotic phenotype. CD148 fibroblast-specific knockout mice displayed increased pulmonary fibrosis after bleomycin challenge compared with control mice. CD148-deficient fibroblasts exhibited hyperactivated PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling, reduced autophagy, and increased p62 accumulation, which induced NF-κB activation and profibrotic gene expression. SDC2-pep reduced pulmonary fibrosis in vivo and inhibited IPF-derived fibroblast activation. In precision-cut lung slices from patients with IPF and control patients, SDC2-pep attenuated profibrotic gene expression in IPF and normal lungs stimulated with profibrotic stimuli.Conclusions: Lung fibroblast CD148 activation reduces p62 accumulation, which exerts antifibrotic effects by inhibiting NF-κB-mediated profibrotic gene expression. Targeting the CD148 phosphatase with activating ligands such as SDC2-pep may represent a potential therapeutic strategy in IPF.

Androgen receptor and its splice variant, AR-V7, differentially induce mRNA splicing in prostate cancer cells.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is dependent on the androgen receptor (AR). Advanced PCa is treated with an androgen deprivation therapy-based regimen; tumors develop resistance, although they typically remain AR-dependent. Expression of constitutively active AR variants lacking the ligand-binding domain including the variant AR-V7 contributes to this resistance. AR and AR-V7, as transcription factors, regulate many of the same genes, but also have unique activities. In this study, the capacity of the two AR isoforms to regulate splicing was examined. RNA-seq data from models that endogenously express AR and express AR-V7 in response to doxycycline were used. Both AR isoforms induced multiple changes in splicing and many changes were isoform-specific. Analyses of two endogenous genes, PGAP2 and TPD52, were performed to examine differential splicing. A novel exon that appears to be a novel transcription start site was preferentially induced by AR-V7 in PGAP2 although it is induced to a lesser extent by AR. The previously described AR induced promoter 2 usage that results in a novel protein derived from TPD52 (PrLZ) was not induced by AR-V7. AR, but not AR-V7, bound to a site proximal to promoter 2, and induction was found to depend on FOXA1.

Haploinsufficiency of Tmem43 in cardiac myocytes activates the DNA damage response pathway leading to a late-onset senescence-associated pro-fibrotic cardiomyopathy.

AIMS: Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) encompasses a genetically heterogeneous group of myocardial diseases whose manifestations are sudden cardiac death, cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure, and in a subset fibro-adipogenic infiltration of the myocardium. Mutations in the TMEM43 gene, encoding transmembrane protein 43 (TMEM43) are known to cause ACM. The purpose of the study was to gain insights into the molecular pathogenesis of ACM caused by TMEM43 haploinsufficiency. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Tmem43 gene was specifically deleted in cardiac myocytes by crossing the Myh6-Cre and floxed Tmem43 mice. Myh6-Cre:Tmem43W/F mice showed an age-dependent phenotype characterized by an increased mortality, cardiac dilatation and dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis, adipogenesis, and apoptosis. Sequencing of cardiac myocyte transcripts prior to and after the onset of cardiac phenotype predicted early activation of the TP53 pathway. Increased TP53 activity was associated with increased levels of markers of DNA damage response (DDR), and a subset of senescence-associated secretary phenotype (SASP). Activation of DDR, TP53, SASP, and their selected downstream effectors, including phospho-SMAD2 and phospho-SMAD3 were validated by alternative methods, including immunoblotting. Expression of SASP was associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and age-dependent expression of myocardial fibrosis and apoptosis in the Myh6-Cre:Tmem43W/F mice. CONCLUSION: TMEM43 haploinsufficiency is associated with activation of the DDR and the TP53 pathways, which lead to increased expression of SASP and an age-dependent expression of a pro-fibrotic cardiomyopathy. Given that TMEM43 is a nuclear envelope protein and our previous data showing deficiency of another nuclear envelope protein, namely lamin A/C, activates the DDR/TP53 pathway, we surmise that DNA damage is a shared mechanism in the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathies caused by mutations involving nuclear envelope proteins.

Isoform-specific Activities of Androgen Receptor and its Splice Variants in Prostate Cancer Cells.

Androgen receptor (AR) signaling continues to drive castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) in spite of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Constitutively active shorter variants of AR, lacking the ligand binding domain, are frequently expressed in CRPC and have emerged as a potential mechanism for prostate cancer to escape ADT. ARv7 and ARv567es are 2 of the most commonly detected variants of AR in clinical samples of advanced, metastatic prostate cancer. It is not clear if variants of AR merely act as weaker substitutes for AR or can mediate unique isoform-specific activities different from AR. In this study, we employed LNCaP prostate cancer cell lines with inducible expression of ARv7 or ARv567es to delineate similarities and differences in transcriptomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics resulting from the activation of AR, ARv7, or ARv567es. While the majority of target genes were similarly regulated by the action of all 3 isoforms, we found a clear difference in transcriptomic activities of AR versus the variants, and a few differences between ARv7 and ARv567es. Some of the target gene regulation by AR isoforms was similar in the VCaP background as well. Differences in downstream activities of AR isoforms were also evident from comparison of the metabolome and lipidome in an LNCaP model. Overall our study implies that shorter variants of AR are capable of mediating unique downstream activities different from AR and some of these are isoform specific.

Enteroaggregative E. coli Adherence to Human Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans Drives Segment and Host Specific Responses to Infection.

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is a significant cause of acute and chronic diarrhea, foodborne outbreaks, infections of the immunocompromised, and growth stunting in children in developing nations. There is no vaccine and resistance to antibiotics is rising. Unlike related E. coli pathotypes that are often associated with acute bouts of infection, EAEC is associated with persistent diarrhea and subclinical long-term colonization. Several secreted virulence factors have been associated with EAEC pathogenesis and linked to disease in humans, less certain are the molecular drivers of adherence to the intestinal mucosa. We previously established human intestinal enteroids (HIEs) as a model system to study host-EAEC interactions and aggregative adherence fimbriae A (AafA) as a major driver of EAEC adherence to HIEs. Here, we report a large-scale assessment of the host response to EAEC adherence from all four segments of the intestine across at least three donor lines for five E. coli pathotypes. The data demonstrate that the host response in the duodenum is driven largely by the infecting pathotype, whereas the response in the colon diverges in a patient-specific manner. Major pathways altered in gene expression in each of the four enteroid segments differed dramatically, with responses observed for inflammation, apoptosis and an overwhelming response to different mucin genes. In particular, EAEC both associated with large mucus droplets and specific mucins at the epithelial surface, binding that was ameliorated when mucins were removed, a process dependent on AafA. Pan-screening for glycans for binding to purified AafA identified the human ligand as heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Removal of HSPG abrogated EAEC association with HIEs. These results may mean that the human intestine responds remarkably different to distinct pathobionts that is dependent on the both the individual and intestinal segment in question, and uncover a major role for surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans as tropism-driving factor in adherence and/or colonization.