Alpha-1 Adrenergic Antagonists Sensitize Neuroblastoma to Therapeutic Differentiation.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is an aggressive childhood tumor, with high-risk cases having a 5-year overall survival probability of approximately 50%. The multimodal therapeutic approach for NB includes treatment with the retinoid isotretinoin (13-cis retinoic acid; 13cRA), which is used in the post-consolidation phase as an antiproliferation and prodifferentiation agent to minimize residual disease and prevent relapse. Through small-molecule screening, we identified isorhamnetin (ISR) as a synergistic compound with 13cRA in inhibiting up to 80% of NB cell viability. The synergistic effect was accompanied by a marked increase in the expression of the adrenergic receptor α1B (ADRA1B) gene. Genetic knockout of ADRA1B or its specific blockade using α1/α1B adrenergic antagonists led to selective sensitization of MYCN-amplified NB cells to cell viability reduction and neural differentiation induced by 13cRA, thus mimicking ISR activity. Administration of doxazosin, a safe α1-antagonist used in pediatric patients, in combination with 13cRA in NB xenografted mice exerted marked control of tumor growth, whereas each drug alone was ineffective. Overall, this study identified the α1B adrenergic receptor as a pharmacologic target in NB, supporting the evaluation of adding α1-antagonists to the post-consolidation therapy of NB to more efficiently control residual disease. SIGNIFICANCE: Targeting α-adrenergic receptors synergizes with isotretinoin to suppress growth and to promote differentiation of neuroblastoma, revealing a combinatorial approach for more effective management of the disease and prevention of relapse.

Alterations of ribosomal RNA pseudouridylation in human breast cancer.

RNA modifications are key regulatory factors for several biological and pathological processes. They are abundantly represented on ribosomal RNA (rRNA), where they contribute to regulate ribosomal function in mRNA translation. Altered RNA modification pathways have been linked to tumorigenesis as well as to other human diseases. In this study we quantitatively evaluated the site-specific pseudouridylation pattern in rRNA in breast cancer samples exploiting the RBS-Seq technique involving RNA bisulfite treatment coupled with a new NGS approach. We found a wide variability among patients at different sites. The most dysregulated positions in tumors turned out to be hypermodified with respect to a reference RNA. As for 2'O-methylation level of rRNA modification, we detected variable and stable pseudouridine sites, with the most stable sites being the most evolutionary conserved. We also observed that pseudouridylation levels at specific sites are related to some clinical and bio-pathological tumor features and they are able to distinguish different patient clusters. This study is the first example of the contribution that newly available high-throughput approaches for site specific pseudouridine detection can provide to the understanding of the intrinsic ribosomal changes occurring in human tumors.

Suppressing gain-of-function proteins via CRISPR/Cas9 system in SCA1 cells.

SCAs are autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorders caused by a gain-of-function protein with toxic activities, containing an expanded polyQ tract in the coding region. There are no treatments available to delay the onset, stop or slow down the progression of these pathologies. In this work we focus our attention on SCA1 which is one of the most common genotypes circulating in Italy. Here, we develop a CRISPR/Cas9-based approach to reduce both forms of the ATXN1 protein, normal and mutated with expanded polyQ. We started with the screening of 10 different sgRNAs able to target Exon 8 of the ATXN1 gene. The two most promising sgRNAs were validated in fibroblasts isolated from SCA1 patients, following the identification of the best transfection method for this type of cell. Our silencing approach significantly downregulated the expression of ataxin1, due to large deletions and the introduction of small changes in the ATXN1 gene, evidenced by NGS analysis, without major effects on cell viability. Furthermore, very few significant guide RNA-dependent off-target effects were observed. These preliminary results not only allowed us to identify the best transfection method for SCA1 fibroblasts, but strongly support CRISPR/Cas9 as a promising approach for the treatment of expanded polyQ diseases. Further investigations will be needed to verify the efficacy of our silencing system in SCA1 neurons and animal models.

Next Generation Sequencing Analysis of MODY-X Patients: A Case Report Series.

BACKGROUND: Classic criteria for a maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) diagnosis are often unable to identify all subjects, and traditional Sanger sequencing, using a candidate gene approach, leads to a high prevalence of missed genetic diagnosis, classified as MODY-X. Next generation sequencing (NGS) panels provide a highly sensitive method even for rare forms. METHODS: We investigated 28 pediatric subjects suspected for MODY-X, utilizing a 15-gene NGS panel for monogenic diabetes (MD). RESULTS: NGS detected variants of uncertain significance (VUS), likely pathogenic or pathogenic for rarer subtypes of MODY, in six patients. We found variants in the wolframin gene (WFS1), traditionally not considered in MD genetic screening panels, in three patients; KCNJ11 gene mutation, typically responsible for neonatal diabetes and rarely causing isolated diabetes in adolescents; INS gene mutation; a variant in the HNF1B gene in a young male with diabetes on sulfonylurea treatment. CONCLUSION: In our cohort, the availability of an NGS panel for MD was determined for the correct identification of MD subtypes in six patients with MODY-X. Our study underlines how a precise diagnosis utilizing NGS may have an impact on the management of different forms of MODY and, thus, lead to a tailored treatment and enable genetic counselling of other family members.

Human dyskerin binds to cytoplasmic H/ACA-box-containing transcripts affecting nuclear hormone receptor dependence.

BACKGROUND: Dyskerin is a nuclear protein involved in H/ACA box snoRNA-guided uridine modification of RNA. In humans, its defective function is associated with cancer development and induces specific post-transcriptional alterations of gene expression. In this study, we seek to unbiasedly identify mRNAs regulated by dyskerin in human breast cancer-derived cells. RESULTS: We find that dyskerin depletion affects the expression and the association with polysomes of selected mRNA isoforms characterized by the retention of H/ACA box snoRNA-containing introns. These snoRNA retaining transcripts (snoRTs) are bound by dyskerin in the cytoplasm in the form of shorter 3' snoRT fragments. We then characterize the whole cytoplasmic dyskerin RNA interactome and find both H/ACA box snoRTs and protein-coding transcripts which may be targeted by the snoRTs' guide properties. Since a fraction of these protein-coding transcripts is involved in the nuclear hormone receptor binding, we test to see if this specific activity is affected by dyskerin. Obtained results indicate that dyskerin dysregulation may alter the dependence on nuclear hormone receptor ligands in breast cancer cells. These results are paralleled by consistent observations on the outcome of primary breast cancer patients stratified according to their tumor hormonal status. Accordingly, experiments in nude mice show that the reduction of dyskerin levels in estrogen-dependent cells favors xenograft development in the absence of estrogen supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: Our work suggests a cytoplasmic function for dyskerin which could affect mRNA post-transcriptional networks relevant for nuclear hormone receptor functions.

YES1 and MYC Amplifications as Synergistic Resistance Mechanisms to Different Generation ALK Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Advanced NSCLC: Brief Report of Clinical and Preclinical Proofs.

INTRODUCTION: ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the standard treatment for advanced ALK-positive NSCLC. Nevertheless, drug resistance inevitably occurs. Here, we report a case of a patient with metastatic ALK-positive lung adenocarcinoma with an impressive resistance to sequential treatment with ALK TKIs mediated by YES1 and MYC amplification in a contest of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and high progressive chromosomal instability. METHODS: The patient received, after chemotherapy and 7 months of crizotinib, brigatinib and lorlatinib with no clinical benefit to both treatments. A study of resistance mechanisms was performed with whole exome sequencing on different biological samples; primary cell lines were established from pleural effusion after lorlatinib progression. RESULTS: At whole exome sequencing analysis, YES1 and MYC amplifications were observed both in the pericardial biopsy and the pleural effusion samples collected at brigatinib and lorlatinib progression, respectively. Increasing chromosomal instability from diagnostic biopsy to pleural effusion was also observed. The addition of dasatinib to brigatinib or lorlatinib restored the sensitivity in primary cell lines; data were confirmed also in H3122_ALK-positive model overexpressing both YES1 and MYC. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, YES1 and MYC amplifications are candidates to justify a rapid acquired resistance to crizotinib entailing primary brigatinib and lorlatinib resistance. In this context, a combination strategy of ALK TKI with dasatinib could be effective to overcome a rapid resistance.

A Community Study of SARS-CoV-2 Detection by RT-PCR in Saliva: A Reliable and Effective Method.

Efficient, wide-scale testing for SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for monitoring the incidence of the infection in the community. The gold standard for COVID-19 diagnosis is the molecular analysis of epithelial secretions from the upper respiratory system captured by nasopharyngeal (NP) or oropharyngeal swabs. Given the ease of collection, saliva has been proposed as a possible substitute to support testing at the population level. Here, we used a novel saliva collection device designed to favour the safe and correct acquisition of the sample, as well as the processivity of the downstream molecular analysis. We tested 1003 nasopharyngeal swabs and paired saliva samples self-collected by individuals recruited at a public drive-through testing facility. An overall moderate concordance (68%) between the two tests was found, with evidence that neither system can diagnose the infection in 100% of the cases. While the two methods performed equally well in symptomatic individuals, their discordance was mainly restricted to samples from convalescent subjects. The saliva test was at least as effective as NP swabs in asymptomatic individuals recruited for contact tracing. Our study describes a testing strategy of self-collected saliva samples, which is reliable for wide-scale COVID-19 screening in the community and is particularly effective for contact tracing.

The altered transcriptome of pediatric myelodysplastic syndrome revealed by RNA sequencing.

Pediatric myelodysplastic syndrome (PMDS) is a very rare and still poorly characterized disorder. In this work, we identified novel potential targets of PMDS by determining genes with aberrant expression, which can be correlated with PMDS pathogenesis. We identified 291 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PMDS patients, comprising genes involved in the regulation of apoptosis and the cell cycle, ribosome biogenesis, inflammation and adaptive immunity. Ten selected DEGs were then validated, confirming the sequencing data. These DEGs will potentially represent new molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets for PMDS.

ddSeeker: a tool for processing Bio-Rad ddSEQ single cell RNA-seq data.

BACKGROUND: New single-cell isolation technologies are facilitating studies on the transcriptomics of individual cells. Bio-Rad ddSEQ is a droplet-based microfluidic system that, when coupled with downstream Illumina library preparation and sequencing, enables the monitoring of thousands of genes per cell. Sequenced reads show unique features that do not permit the use of freely available tools to perform single cell demultiplexing. RESULTS: We present ddSeeker, a tool to perform initial processing and quality metrics of reads generated through Bio-Rad ddSEQ/Illumina experiments. Its application to the Illumina test dataset demonstrates that ddSeeker performs better than Illumina BaseSpace software, enabling a higher recovery of valid reads. We also show its utility in the analysis of an in-house dataset including two read sets characterized by low and high sequencing quality. ddSeeker and its source code are available at https://github.com/cgplab/ddSeeker . CONCLUSIONS: ddSeeker is a freely available tool to perform initial processing and quality metrics of reads generated through Bio-Rad ddSEQ/Illumina single cell transcriptomic experiments.

The short-term impact of probiotic consumption on the oral cavity microbiome.

The dysbiosis of the oral microbiome is associated with both localized and systemic diseases. Modulating the resident microbial communities by the dietary consumption of probiotics has become an appealing means to promote host health by either restoring host-microbe balance or preventing dysbiosis. Most probiotics strategies target the intestinal microbiome, but little is known about their impact on the oral microbiome. We analyzed here the saliva microbiome from 21 volunteers, longitudinally collected before, during, and after consumption of a commercial probiotic and a standard yoghurt using 16S amplicon sequencing. The alpha diversity of the saliva microbiome had a statistically significant increase (P-value = 0.0011) in one of the groups that consumed the probiotic. The overall structure of the microbiome was however not significantly impacted by the probiotic, although oligotyping analysis revealed that both Streptococci and Lactobacilli present in the probiotic product persisted in the saliva microbiome. In contrast, non-probiotic yoghurt consumption had a lesser impact on the overall diversity and Lactobacillus and Streptococcus persistence. Our results suggest that consumption of commercial probiotics in healthy subjects increase the overall diversity of the oral cavity microbiome in the short term, but such dietary interventions are not able to substantially modify the structure of the microbiome.

Mother-to-Infant Microbial Transmission from Different Body Sites Shapes the Developing Infant Gut Microbiome.

The acquisition and development of the infant microbiome are key to establishing a healthy host-microbiome symbiosis. The maternal microbial reservoir is thought to play a crucial role in this process. However, the source and transmission routes of the infant pioneering microbes are poorly understood. To address this, we longitudinally sampled the microbiome of 25 mother-infant pairs across multiple body sites from birth up to 4 months postpartum. Strain-level metagenomic profiling showed a rapid influx of microbes at birth followed by strong selection during the first few days of life. Maternal skin and vaginal strains colonize only transiently, and the infant continues to acquire microbes from distinct maternal sources after birth. Maternal gut strains proved more persistent in the infant gut and ecologically better adapted than those acquired from other sources. Together, these data describe the mother-to-infant microbiome transmission routes that are integral in the development of the infant microbiome.

The new phylogeny of the genus Mycobacterium: The old and the news.

BACKGROUND: Phylogenetic studies of bacteria have been based so far either on a single gene (usually the 16S rRNA) or on concatenated housekeeping genes. For what concerns the genus Mycobacterium these approaches support the separation of rapidly and slowly growing species and the clustering of most species in well-defined phylogenetic groups. The advent of high-throughput shotgun sequencing leads us to revise conventional taxonomy of mycobacteria on the light of genomic data. For this purpose we investigated 88 newly sequenced species in addition to 60 retrieved from GenBank and used the Average Nucleotide Identity pairwise scores to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships within this genus. RESULTS: Our analysis confirmed the separation of slow and rapid growers and the intermediate position occupied by the M. terrae complex. Among the rapid growers, the species of the M. chelonae-abscessus complex belonged to the most ancestral cluster. Other major clades of rapid growers included the species related to M. fortuitum and M. smegmatis and a large grouping containing mostly environmental species rarely isolated from humans. The members of the M. terrae complex appeared as the most ancestral slow growers. Among slow growers two deep branches led to the clusters of species related to M. celatum and M. xenopi and to a large group harboring most of the species more frequently responsible of disease in humans, including the major pathogenic mycobacteria (M. tuberculosis, M. leprae, M. ulcerans). The species previously grouped in the M. simiae complex were allocated in a number of sub-clades; of them, only the one including the species M. simiae identified the real members of this complex. The other clades included also species previously not considered related to M. simiae. The ANI analysis, in most cases supported by Genome to Genome Distance and by Genomic Signature-Delta Difference, showed that a number of species with standing in literature were indeed synonymous. CONCLUSIONS: Genomic data revealed to be much more informative in comparison with phenotype. We believe that the genomic revolution enabled by high-throughput shotgun sequencing should now be considered in order to revise the conservative approaches still informing taxonomic sciences.

Unexplored diversity and strain-level structure of the skin microbiome associated with psoriasis.

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease that has been associated with cutaneous microbial dysbiosis by culture-dependent investigations and rRNA community profiling. We applied, for the first time, high-resolution shotgun metagenomics to characterise the microbiome of psoriatic and unaffected skin from 28 individuals. We demonstrate psoriatic ear sites have a decreased diversity and psoriasis is associated with an increase in Staphylococcus, but overall the microbiomes of psoriatic and unaffected sites display few discriminative features at the species level. Finer strain-level analysis reveals strain heterogeneity colonisation and functional variability providing the intriguing hypothesis of psoriatic niche-specific strain adaptation or selection. Furthermore, we accessed the poorly characterised, but abundant, clades with limited sequence information in public databases, including uncharacterised Malassezia spp. These results highlight the skins hidden diversity and suggests strain-level variations could be key determinants of the psoriatic microbiome. This illustrates the need for high-resolution analyses, particularly when identifying therapeutic targets. This work provides a baseline for microbiome studies in relation to the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Genomic characterization of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae have remained, for many years, the primary species of the genus Mycobacterium of clinical and microbiological interest. The other members of the genus, referred to as nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), have long been underinvestigated. In the last decades, however, the number of reports linking various NTM species with human diseases has steadily increased and treatment difficulties have emerged. Despite the availability of whole genome sequencing technologies, limited effort has been devoted to the genetic characterization of NTM species. As a consequence, the taxonomic and phylogenetic structure of the genus remains unsettled and genomic information is lacking to support the identification of these organisms in a clinical setting. In this work, we widen the knowledge of NTMs by reconstructing and analyzing the genomes of 41 previously uncharacterized NTM species. We provide the first comprehensive characterization of the genomic diversity of NTMs and open new venues for the clinical identification of opportunistic pathogens from this genus.

The CDKN2A/p16(INK) (4a) 5'UTR sequence and translational regulation: impact of novel variants predisposing to melanoma.

Many variants of uncertain functional significance in cancer susceptibility genes lie in regulatory regions, and clarifying their association with disease risk poses significant challenges. We studied 17 germline variants (nine of which were novel) in the CDKN2A 5'UTR with independent approaches, which included mono and bicistronic reporter assays, Western blot of endogenous protein, and allelic representation after polysomal profiling to investigate their impact on CDKN2A mRNA translation regulation. Two of the novel variants (c.-27del23, c.-93-91delAGG) were classified as causal mutations (score ≥3), along with the c.-21C>T, c.-34G>T, and c.-56G>T, which had already been studied by a subset of assays. The novel c.-42T>A as well as the previously described c.-67G>C were classified as potential mutations (score 1 or 2). The remaining variants (c.-14C>T, c.-20A>G, c.-25C>T+c.-180G>A, c.-30G>A, c.-40C>T, c.-45G>A, c.-59C>G, c.-87T>A, c.-252A>T) were classified as neutral (score 0). In conclusion, we found evidence that nearly half of the variants found in this region had a negative impact on CDKN2A mRNA translation, supporting the hypothesis that 5'UTR can act as a cellular Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) to modulate p16(INK) (4a) translation.

Exome sequencing in a patient with Catel-Manzke-like syndrome excludes the involvement of the known genes and reveals a possible candidate.

In the present study we describe the exome sequencing and analysis of a patient with Catel-Manzke-like phenotype showing bilateral hyperphalangism of the second finger and thumb clinodactyly due to a unilateral delta phalanx, associated with growth, cardiac and vertebral defects. The exome sequencing analysis excluded pathogenetic mutations in the genes known to cause syndromes with hyperphalangism and did not identify any alteration in the X-chromosome or de novo mutations in likely candidate genes. Under the assumption of an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance and based on the frequency of the single nucleotide variants found in homozygous or double heterozygous states and the results of computer prediction programs, only one gene, DNAH10, emerged as a candidate in the pathogenesis of the disease in our patient. However, the differences among the known biological functions of DNAH10 and the genes involved in the other syndromes with hyperphalangism, suggest caution in the interpretation of the results.

HIV-1 Nef promotes infection by excluding SERINC5 from virion incorporation.

HIV-1 Nef, a protein important for the development of AIDS, has well-characterized effects on host membrane trafficking and receptor downregulation. By an unidentified mechanism, Nef increases the intrinsic infectivity of HIV-1 virions in a host-cell-dependent manner. Here we identify the host transmembrane protein SERINC5, and to a lesser extent SERINC3, as a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 particle infectivity that is counteracted by Nef. SERINC5 localizes to the plasma membrane, where it is efficiently incorporated into budding HIV-1 virions and impairs subsequent virion penetration of susceptible target cells. Nef redirects SERINC5 to a Rab7-positive endosomal compartment and thereby excludes it from HIV-1 particles. The ability to counteract SERINC5 was conserved in Nef encoded by diverse primate immunodeficiency viruses, as well as in the structurally unrelated glycosylated Gag from murine leukaemia virus. These examples of functional conservation and convergent evolution emphasize the fundamental importance of SERINC5 as a potent anti-retroviral factor.

JAK2 exon 14 skipping in patients with primary myelofibrosis: a minor splice variant modulated by the JAK2-V617F allele burden.

BACKGROUND: Primary myelofibrosis (PMF) is an acquired clonal disease of the hematopoietic stem cell compartment, characterized by bone marrow fibrosis, anemia, splenomegaly and extramedullary hematopoiesis. About 60% of patients with PMF harbor a somatic mutation of the JAK2 gene (JAK2-V617F) in their hematopoietic lineage. Recently, a splicing isoform of JAK2, lacking exon 14 (JAK2Δ14) was described in patients affected by myeloproliferative diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By using a specific RT-qPCR method, we measured the ratio between the splicing isoform and the JAK2 full-length transcript (JAK2+14) in granulocytes, isolated from peripheral blood, of forty-four patients with PMF and nine healthy donors. RESULTS: We found that JAK2Δ14 was only slightly increased in patients and, at variance with published data, the splicing isoform was also detectable in healthy controls. We also found that, in patients bearing the JAK2-V617F mutation, the percentage of mutated alleles correlated with the observed increase in JAK2Δ14. Homozygosity for the mutation was also associated with a higher level of JAK2+14. Bioinformatic analysis indicates the possibility that the G>T transversion may interfere with the correct splicing of exon 14 by modifying a splicing regulatory sequence. CONCLUSIONS: Increased levels of JAK2 full-length transcript and a small but significant increase in JAK2 exon 14 skipping, are associated with the JAK2-V617F allele burden in PMF granulocytes. Our data do not confirm a previous claim that the production of the JAK2Δ14 isoform is related to the pathogenesis of PMF.

Characterization of 17 strains belonging to the Mycobacterium simiae complex and description of Mycobacterium paraense sp. nov.

Fourteen mycobacterial strains isolated from pulmonary samples of independent patients in the state of Pará (Brazil), and three strains isolated in Italy, were characterized using a polyphasic approach. Thorough genetic investigation, including whole-genome sequencing, demonstrated that the strains belong to the M. simiae complex, being most closely related to Mycobacterium interjectum. For 14 of the strains, evidence emerged supporting their inclusion in a previously unreported species of the genus Mycobacterium, for which the name Mycobacterium paraense sp. nov. is proposed (type strain, IEC26(T) = DSM 46749(T) = CCUG 66121(T)). The novel species is characterized by slow growth, unpigmented or pale yellow scotochromogenic colonies, and a HPLC mycolic acid profile different from other known mycobacteria. In different genetic regions, high sequence microheterogeneity was detected.

OncomiR detection in circulating body fluids: a PDMS microdevice perspective.

There is an increasing interest in circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) as potential minimally invasive diagnostic biomarkers in oncology. Considerable efforts are being made in the development of lab-on-a-chip devices for biomedical applications to purify and detect miRNAs from biological fluids. Here, we report the development of an innovative polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based parallel device whose internal surface can opportunely be functionalized with positively charged 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) alone or mixed with two different neutral poly(ethylene glycol) silanes (PEG-s). The differently functionalized internal surfaces of the PDMS chip were characterized with s-SDTB (sulfosuccinimidyl-4-o-(4,4-dimethoxytrityl) butyrate) and the portion of the surface able to adsorb a synthetic fluorescently labeled miRNA was determined. Interestingly, the adsorbed miRNA (both synthetic and cell supernatant-derived) was found mainly on the bottom surface of the chip and could be reverse transcribed into cDNA directly on the same PDMS chip used for its purification, saving hours with respect to the use of standard purification kits. We identified 0.1% APTES/0.9% PEG-silane as the most efficient PDMS functionalization to capture both synthetic and extracellular miRNA. Moreover, the amount of captured miRNA was increased by treating the cell supernatant with a commercially available lysis buffer for RNA extraction. We assessed that the available miRNA binding sites on the functionalized surface were efficiently saturated with only one incubation, shortening the time and greatly simplifying the protocol for miRNA purification from biological samples. Finally, the extracellular miRNA purification efficiency of the PDMS functionalized multichip determined via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was confirmed by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) quantification. This work shows an innovative, rapid and easy to use microdevice for the purification and reverse transcription of circulating miRNAs, approaching the realization of diagnostic and prognostic oncomiR-based assays.