Human Papillomavirus E6/E7 Expression in Preeclampsia-Affected Placentae.

Whether HPV is causative of pregnancy complications is uncertain. E6 and E7 affect functions underling preeclampsia (PET) in cultured trophoblasts, but whether E6 and E7 is produced in the placenta is uncertain. Here, we investigated whether E6/E7 was expressed in the placentae from pregnancies with PET, other pregnancy complications (fetal growth restriction (FGR) and diabetes mellitus), and uncomplicated pregnancies. Placental tissues collected from two geographical locations were subjected to RNAscope analyses of high- and low- risk E6/E7, and individual HPV types identified using an HPV array. High-risk E6/E7 expression was increased in both PET cohorts, (81% and 86% of patients positive for high-risk HPV DNA compared to 13% of control patients). Various HPV types were identified. Although HPV 18 was the most frequent in all cohorts, the majority of individuals had multiple HPV types (55% of the PET compared to 25% of the control cohort). Further evidence that E6 and E7 is present early when placental pathology underlying preeclampsia is established, is provided with the finding of high-risk E6/E7 in the first-trimester placenta anchoring trophoblast. In conclusion, E6/E7 expression and multiple HPV types were frequent in placentae from preeclampsia-complicated pregnancies.

The Δ133p53ß isoform promotes an immunosuppressive environment leading to aggressive prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, for which there are no reliable biomarkers or targeted therapies. Here we demonstrate that elevated levels of Δ133TP53ß isoform characterize prostate cancers with immune cell infiltration, particularly T cells and CD163+ macrophages. These cancers are associated with shorter progression-free survival, Gleason scores ≥ 7, and an immunosuppressive environment defined by a higher proportion of PD-1, PD-L1 and colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) positive cells. Consistent with this, RNA-seq of tumours showed enrichment for pathways associated with immune signalling and cell migration. We further show a role for hypoxia and wild-type p53 in upregulating Δ133TP53 levels. Finally, AUC analysis showed that Δ133TP53ß expression level alone predicted aggressive disease with 88% accuracy. Our data identify Δ133TP53ß as a highly accurate prognostic factor for aggressive prostate cancer.

Essential amino acids regulate both initiation and elongation of mRNA translation independent of insulin in MAC-T cells and bovine mammary tissue slices.

Current nutrient requirement models assume fixed efficiencies of absorbed amino acid (AA) conversion to milk protein. Regulation of mammary protein synthesis (PS) potentially violates this assumption by changing the relationship between AA supply and milk protein output. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of essential AA (EAA) and insulin on cellular signaling and PS rates in bovine mammary cells. MAC-T cells were subjected to 0 or 100% of normal EAA concentrations in DMEM/F12 and 0 or 100 µg insulin/L in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Lactogenic bovine mammary tissue slices (MTS) were subjected to the same treatments, except low-EAA was 5% of normal DMEM/F12 concentrations. In MAC-T cells, EAA increased phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR; Ser2448), ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1; Thr389), eIF4E binding protein 1 (4EBP1; Thr37/46), and insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1; Ser1101), and reduced phosphorylation of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2; Thr56) and eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 2-α (Ser51). In the presence of insulin, phosphorylation of Akt (Ser473), mTOR, S6K1, 4EBP1, and IRS1 increased in MAC-T cells. In MTS, EAA had similar effects on phosphorylation of signaling proteins and increased mammary PS rates. Insulin did not affect MTS signaling, perhaps due to inadequate levels. Effects of EAA and insulin were independent and additive for mTOR signaling in MAC-T cells. EAA did not inhibit insulin stimulation of Akt phosphorylation. PS rates were strongly associated with phosphorylation of 4EBP1 and eEF2 in MTS. EAA availability affected translation initiation and elongation control points to more strongly regulate PS than insulin.