USP7 inhibitors suppress tumour neoangiogenesis and promote synergy with immune checkpoint inhibitors by downregulating fibroblast VEGF.

BACKGROUND: Understanding how to modulate the microenvironment of tumors that are resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitors represents a major challenge in oncology.Here we investigate the ability of USP7 inhibitors to reprogram the tumor microenvironment (TME) by inhibiting secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from fibroblasts. METHODS: To understand the role played by USP7 in the TME, we systematically evaluated the effects of potent, selective USP7 inhibitors on co-cultures comprising components of the TME, using human primary cells. We also evaluated the effects of USP7 inhibition on tumor growth inhibition in syngeneic models when dosed in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). RESULTS: Abrogation of VEGF secretion from fibroblasts in response to USP7 inhibition resulted in inhibition of tumor neoangiogenesis and increased tumor recruitment of CD8-positive T-lymphocytes, leading to significantly improved sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitors. In syngeneic models, treatment with USP7 inhibitors led to striking tumor responses resulting in significantly improved survival. CONCLUSIONS: USP7-mediated reprograming of the TME is not linked to its previously characterized role in modulating MDM2 but does require p53 and UHRF1 in addition to the well-characterized VEGF transcription factor, HIF-1α. This represents a function of USP7 that is unique to fibroblasts, and which is not observed in cancer cells or other components of the TME. Given the potential for USP7 inhibitors to transform "immune desert" tumors into "immune responsive" tumors, this paves the way for a novel therapeutic strategy combining USP7 inhibitors with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Oxidation modulates LINGO2-induced inactivation of large conductance, Ca2+-activated potassium channels.

Ca2+ and voltage-activated K+ (BK) channels are ubiquitous ion channels that can be modulated by accessory proteins, including ß, γ, and LINGO1 BK subunits. In this study, we utilized a combination of site-directed mutagenesis, patch clamp electrophysiology, and molecular modeling to investigate if the biophysical properties of BK currents were affected by coexpression of LINGO2 and to examine how they are regulated by oxidation. We demonstrate that LINGO2 is a regulator of BK channels, since its coexpression with BK channels yields rapid inactivating currents, the activation of which is shifted ∼-30 mV compared to that of BKα currents. Furthermore, we show the oxidation of BK:LINGO2 currents (by exposure to epifluorescence illumination or chloramine-T) abolished inactivation. The effect of illumination depended on the presence of GFP, suggesting that it released free radicals which oxidized cysteine or methionine residues. In addition, the oxidation effects were resistant to treatment with the cysteine-specific reducing agent DTT, suggesting that methionine rather than cysteine residues may be involved. Our data with synthetic LINGO2 tail peptides further demonstrate that the rate of inactivation was slowed when residues M603 or M605 were oxidized, and practically abolished when both were oxidized. Taken together, these data demonstrate that both methionine residues in the LINGO2 tail mediate the effect of oxidation on BK:LINGO2 channels. Our molecular modeling suggests that methionine oxidation reduces the lipophilicity of the tail, thus preventing it from occluding the pore of the BK channel.

The HIF complex recruits the histone methyltransferase SET1B to activate specific hypoxia-inducible genes.

Hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs) are fundamental to cellular adaptation to low oxygen levels, but it is unclear how they interact with chromatin and activate their target genes. Here, we use genome-wide mutagenesis to identify genes involved in HIF transcriptional activity, and define a requirement for the histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methyltransferase SET1B. SET1B loss leads to a selective reduction in transcriptional activation of HIF target genes, resulting in impaired cell growth, angiogenesis and tumor establishment in SET1B-deficient xenografts. Mechanistically, we show that SET1B accumulates on chromatin in hypoxia, and is recruited to HIF target genes by the HIF complex. The selective induction of H3K4 trimethylation at HIF target loci is both HIF- and SET1B-dependent and, when impaired, correlates with decreased promoter acetylation and gene expression. Together, these findings show SET1B as a determinant of site-specific histone methylation and provide insight into how HIF target genes are differentially regulated.

SynLeGG: analysis and visualization of multiomics data for discovery of cancer 'Achilles Heels' and gene function relationships.

Achilles' heel relationships arise when the status of one gene exposes a cell's vulnerability to perturbation of a second gene, such as chemical inhibition, providing therapeutic opportunities for precision oncology. SynLeGG (www.overton-lab.uk/synlegg) identifies and visualizes mutually exclusive loss signatures in 'omics data to enable discovery of genetic dependency relationships (GDRs) across 783 cancer cell lines and 30 tissues. While there is significant focus on genetic approaches, transcriptome data has advantages for investigation of GDRs and remains relatively underexplored. SynLeGG depends upon the MultiSEp algorithm for unsupervised assignment of cell lines into gene expression clusters, which provide the basis for analysis of CRISPR scores and mutational status in order to propose candidate GDRs. Benchmarking against SynLethDB demonstrates favourable performance for MultiSEp against competing approaches, finding significantly higher area under the Receiver Operator Characteristic curve and between 2.8-fold to 8.5-fold greater coverage. In addition to pan-cancer analysis, SynLeGG offers investigation of tissue-specific GDRs and recovers established relationships, including synthetic lethality for SMARCA2 with SMARCA4. Proteomics, Gene Ontology, protein-protein interactions and paralogue information are provided to assist interpretation and candidate drug target prioritization. SynLeGG predictions are significantly enriched in dependencies validated by a recently published CRISPR screen.

A Role for the Autophagic Receptor, SQSTM1/p62, in Trafficking NF-κB/RelA to Nucleolar Aggresomes.

Elevated NF-κB activity is a contributory factor in many hematologic and solid malignancies. Nucleolar sequestration of NF-κB/RelA represses this elevated activity and mediates apoptosis of cancer cells. Here, we set out to understand the mechanisms that control the nuclear/nucleolar distribution of RelA and other regulatory proteins, so that agents can be developed that specifically target these proteins to the organelle. We demonstrate that RelA accumulates in intranucleolar aggresomes in response to specific stresses. We also demonstrate that the autophagy receptor, SQSTM1/p62, accumulates alongside RelA in these nucleolar aggresomes. This accumulation is not a consequence of inhibited autophagy. Indeed, our data suggest nucleolar and autophagosomal accumulation of p62 are in active competition. We identify a conserved motif at the N-terminus of p62 that is essential for nucleoplasmic-to-nucleolar transport of the protein. Furthermore, using a dominant-negative mutant deleted for this nucleolar localization signal (NoLS), we demonstrate a role for p62 in trafficking RelA and other aggresome-related proteins to nucleoli, to induce apoptosis. Together, these data identify a novel role for p62 in trafficking nuclear proteins to nucleolar aggresomes under conditions of cell stress, thus maintaining cellular homeostasis. They also provide invaluable information on the mechanisms that regulate the nuclear/nucleolar distribution of RelA that could be exploited for therapeutic purpose. IMPLICATIONS: The data open up avenues for the development of a unique class of therapeutic agents that act by targeting RelA and other aberrantly active proteins to nucleoli, thus killing cancer cells.

Endogenous H2S production deficiencies lead to impaired renal erythropoietin production.

INTRODUCTION: Patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience a number of associated comorbidities, including anemia. Relative deficiency in renal erythropoietin (EPO) production is thought to be a primary cause of anemia. Interestingly, CKD patients display low levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), an endogenously derived renal oxygen sensor. Previous in vitro experiments have revealed that H2S-deficient renal cell lines produce less EPO than wild-type renal cell lines during hypoxia. METHODS: We postulated that H2S might be a primary mediator of EPO synthesis during hypoxia, which was tested using an in vivo murine model of whole-body hypoxia and in clinical samples obtained from CKD patients. RESULTS: Following a 72-hour period of hypoxia (11% O2), partial H2S knockout mice (lacking the H2S biosynthetic enzyme cystathionine γ-lyase [CSE]) displayed lower levels of hemoglobin, EPO and cystathionine-ß-synthase (CBS) (another H2S biosynthetic enzyme) compared to wild-type mice, all of which was rescued by exogenous H2S supplementation. We also found that anemic CKD patients requiring exogenous EPO exhibited lower urinary thiosulfate levels compared to non-anemic CKD patients of similar CKD classification. CONCLUSIONS: Together, our results confirm an interplay between the actions of H2S during hypoxia and EPO production.

Identification of a novel TIF-IA-NF-κB nucleolar stress response pathway.

p53 as an effector of nucleolar stress is well defined, but p53 independent mechanisms are largely unknown. Like p53, the NF-κB transcription factor plays a critical role in maintaining cellular homeostasis under stress. Many stresses that stimulate NF-κB also disrupt nucleoli. However, the link between nucleolar function and activation of the NF-κB pathway is as yet unknown. Here we demonstrate that artificial disruption of the PolI complex stimulates NF-κB signalling. Unlike p53 nucleolar stress response, this effect does not appear to be linked to inhibition of rDNA transcription. We show that specific stress stimuli of NF-κB induce degradation of a critical component of the PolI complex, TIF-IA. This degradation precedes activation of NF-κB and is associated with increased nucleolar size. It is mimicked by CDK4 inhibition and is dependent upon a novel pathway involving UBF/p14ARF and S44 of the protein. We show that blocking TIF-IA degradation blocks stress effects on nucleolar size and NF-κB signalling. Finally, using ex vivo culture, we show a strong correlation between degradation of TIF-IA and activation of NF-κB in freshly resected, human colorectal tumours exposed to the chemopreventative agent, aspirin. Together, our study provides compelling evidence for a new, TIF-IA-NF-κB nucleolar stress response pathway that has in vivo relevance and therapeutic implications.

MARCH6 and TRC8 facilitate the quality control of cytosolic and tail-anchored proteins.

Misfolded or damaged proteins are typically targeted for destruction by proteasome-mediated degradation, but the mammalian ubiquitin machinery involved is incompletely understood. Here, using forward genetic screens in human cells, we find that the proteasome-mediated degradation of the soluble misfolded reporter, mCherry-CL1, involves two ER-resident E3 ligases, MARCH6 and TRC8. mCherry-CL1 degradation is routed via the ER membrane and dependent on the hydrophobicity of the substrate, with complete stabilisation only observed in double knockout MARCH6/TRC8 cells. To identify a more physiological correlate, we used quantitative mass spectrometry and found that TRC8 and MARCH6 depletion altered the turnover of the tail-anchored protein heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). These E3 ligases associate with the intramembrane cleaving signal peptide peptidase (SPP) and facilitate the degradation of HO-1 following intramembrane proteolysis. Our results highlight how ER-resident ligases may target the same substrates, but work independently of each other, to optimise the protein quality control of selected soluble and tail-anchored proteins.

Daily therapy with a slow-releasing H2S donor GYY4137 enables early functional recovery and ameliorates renal injury associated with urinary obstruction.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of slow-releasing H2S donor GYY4137 on post-obstructive renal function and injury following unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) by using the UUO and reimplantation (UUO-R) model in rats and to elucidate potential mechanisms by using an in vitro model of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). METHODS: Male Lewis rats underwent UUO at the left ureterovesical junction. From post-operative day (POD) 1-13, rats received daily intraperitoneal (IP) injection of phosphate buffered saline (PBS, 1 mL) or GYY4137 (200 µmol/kg/day in 1 mL PBS, IP). On POD 14, the ureter was reimplanted back into the bladder, followed by a right nephrectomy. Urine and serum samples were collected to monitor renal function. On POD 30, the left kidney was removed and tissue sections were stained with H&E, TUNEL, CD68, CD206, myeloperoxidase, and Masson's trichrome to determine cortical thickness, apoptosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. In our in vitro model of EMT, NRK52E cells were treated with 10 ng/mL TGF-ß1, 10 µM GYY4137 and/or 50 µM GYY4137. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the expression of E-cadherin, vimentin, Smad7 and TGF-ß1 receptor II (TßRII). RESULTS: GYY4137 led to a moderate decrease in post-obstructive serum creatinine, cystatin C and FENa. We also observed a trend towards a decrease in post-obstructive proteinuria following GYY4137 treatment. Histologically, we observed a significant decrease in apoptosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Furthermore, our in vitro studies demonstrate that in the presence of TGF-ß1, GYY4137 significantly decreases vimentin and TßRII and significantly increases E-cadherin and Smad7. CONCLUSIONS: H2S may help to accelerate the recovery of renal function post-obstruction and attenuates renal injury associated with UUO. It is possible that H2S mitigates fibrosis by regulating the TGF-ß1-mediated EMT pathway. Taken together, our data suggest that H2S may be a potential novel therapy for improving renal function and limiting renal injury associated with obstructive uropathy.

A Hibernation-Like State for Transplantable Organs: Is Hydrogen Sulfide Therapy the Future of Organ Preservation?

SIGNIFICANCE: Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease, during which renal grafts from deceased donors are routinely cold stored to suppress metabolic demand and thereby limit ischemic injury. However, prolonged cold storage, followed by reperfusion, induces extensive tissue damage termed cold ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) and puts the graft at risk of both early and late rejection. Recent Advances: Deep hibernators constitute a natural model of coping with cold IRI as they regularly alternate between 4°C and 37°C. Recently, endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gas with a characteristic rotten egg smell, has been implicated in organ protection in hibernation. CRITICAL ISSUES: In renal transplantation, H2S also seems to confer cytoprotection by lowering metabolism, thereby creating a hibernation-like environment, and increasing preservation time while allowing cellular processes of preservation of homeostasis and tissue remodeling to take place, thus increasing renal graft survival. FUTURE DIRECTIONS: Although the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of organ protection during hibernation have not been fully explored, mammalian hibernation may offer a great clinical promise to safely cold store and reperfuse donor organs. In this review, we first discuss mammalian hibernation as a natural model of cold organ preservation with reference to the kidney and highlight the involvement of H2S during hibernation. Next, we present recent developments on the protective effects and mechanisms of exogenous and endogenous H2S in preclinical models of transplant IRI and evaluate the potential of H2S therapy in organ preservation as great promise for renal transplant recipients in the future. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 1503-1515.

A novel approach to off-clamp partial nephrectomy demonstrates significant improvements in renal injury in an experimental porcine model.

INTRODUCTION: We sought to design a partial nephrectomy (PN) with contralateral total nephrectomy porcine model and assess the underlying mechanisms of ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) after PN using a novel, clinically approved resection device. METHODS: Domestic male pigs (n=9) underwent left lower pole PN, allocated to either standard (Group 1) or no ischemia PN (Group 2), followed by contralateral nephrectomy. Biochemical studies were performed at baseline, Day 2, and Day 7; after sacrifice, kidneys were processed for histological analysis. Apoptotic markers were measured by Western blot analyses. Urinary biomarkers were measured to assess acute kidney injury. RESULTS: At Day 2 following PN, there was a significant rise in serum creatinine in Group 1 compared to Group 2 (355 vs. 136 mmol/L; p=0.008). Intra-renal tissue oxygen saturation after PN was inversely correlated with postoperative creatinine (rs -0.75; p=0.012) and the grade of acute tubular necrosis (rs -0.70; p=0.036). We observed a rise in expression of pro-apoptotic markers and pro-inflammatory markers in Group 1 following PN compared to Group 2. Histological analysis revealed higher grade of apoptosis in Group 1. CONCLUSIONS: IRI associated with standard PN has a deleterious impact on acute renal function, markers of tissue injury, and histological parameters, compared to off-clamp PN using the ALTRUS device. We identified several intraoperative and postoperative markers that may be used as predictors for functional and histological injury following PN.

Mitochondrial Protein Lipoylation and the 2-Oxoglutarate Dehydrogenase Complex Controls HIF1α Stability in Aerobic Conditions.

Hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs) control adaptation to low oxygen environments by activating genes involved in metabolism, angiogenesis, and redox homeostasis. The finding that HIFs are also regulated by small molecule metabolites highlights the need to understand the complexity of their cellular regulation. Here we use a forward genetic screen in near-haploid human cells to identify genes that stabilize HIFs under aerobic conditions. We identify two mitochondrial genes, oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH) and lipoic acid synthase (LIAS), which when mutated stabilize HIF1α in a non-hydroxylated form. Disruption of OGDH complex activity in OGDH or LIAS mutants promotes L-2-hydroxyglutarate formation, which inhibits the activity of the HIFα prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) and TET 2-oxoglutarate dependent dioxygenases. We also find that PHD activity is decreased in patients with homozygous germline mutations in lipoic acid synthesis, leading to HIF1 activation. Thus, mutations affecting OGDHC activity may have broad implications for epigenetic regulation and tumorigenesis.

GYY4137, a Slow-Releasing Hydrogen Sulfide Donor, Ameliorates Renal Damage Associated with Chronic Obstructive Uropathy.

PURPOSE: Chronic obstructive uropathy can cause irreversible kidney injury, atrophy and inflammation, which can ultimately lead to fibrosis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition is a key trigger of fibrosis that is caused by up-regulation of TGF-ß1 (transforming growth factor-ß1) and ANGII (angiotensin II). H2S is an endogenously produced gasotransmitter with cytoprotective properties. We sought to elucidate the effects of the slow-releasing H2S donor GYY4137 on chronic ureteral obstruction and evaluate the potential mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following unilateral ureteral obstruction male Lewis rats were given daily intraperitoneal administration of phosphate buffered saline vehicle (obstruction group) or phosphate buffered saline plus 200 µmol/kg GYY4137 (obstruction plus GYY4137 group) for 30 days. Urine and serum samples were collected to determine physiological parameters of renal function and injury. Kidneys were removed on postoperative day 30 to evaluate histopathology and protein expression. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in LLC-PK1 pig kidney epithelial cells was induced with TGF-ß1 and treated with GYY4137 to evaluate potential mechanisms via in vitro scratch wound assays. RESULTS: H2S treatment decreased serum creatinine and the urine protein-to-creatinine excretion ratio after unilateral ureteral obstruction. In addition, H2S mitigated cortical loss, inflammatory damage and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Tissues showed decreased expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers upon H2S treatment. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition progression in LLC-PK1 was alleviated upon in vitro administration of GYY4137. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge our findings demonstrate for the first time the protective effects of H2S in chronic obstructive uropathy. This may represent a potential therapeutic solution to ameliorate renal damage and improve the clinical outcomes of urinary obstruction.

Hydrogen sulfide: A novel nephroprotectant against cisplatin-induced renal toxicity.

Cisplatin is a potent chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of various solid-organ cancers. However, a plethora of evidence indicates that nephrotoxicity is a major side effect of cisplatin therapy. While the antineoplastic action of cisplatin is due to formation of cisplatin-DNA cross-links, which damage rapidly dividing cancer cells upon binding to DNA, its nephrotoxic effect results from metabolic conversion of cisplatin into a nephrotoxin and production of reactive oxygen species, causing oxidative stress leading to renal tissue injury and potentially, kidney failure. Despite therapeutic targets in several pre-clinical and clinical studies, there is still incomplete protection against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), the third discovered gasotransmitter next to nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, has recently been identified in several in vitro and in vivo studies to possess specific antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties that modulate several pathogenic pathways involved in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. The current article reviews the molecular mechanisms underlying cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and displays recent findings in the H2S field that could disrupt such mechanisms to ameliorate cisplatin-induced renal injury.

Hydrogen Sulfide Induced Erythropoietin Synthesis is Regulated by HIF Proteins.

PURPOSE: Anemia of end stage renal disease affects 90% of patients on hemodialysis and it is a tremendous concern of patients and health care providers. Renal disease creates a state of renal hypoxia, which may contribute to a lack of erythropoietin production from the kidney when low oxygen levels are sensed. This necessitates the use of exogenous erythropoietin preparations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Recent evidence suggests that endogenously derived hydrogen sulfide may mediate oxygen sensing in tissues. Given the known involvement of other small molecules such as nitric oxide in erythropoietin production and the observation of decreased urinary H2S levels in patients with renal failure, we postulated that H2S may be the primary mediator of erythropoietin production during hypoxia. PK1, 786-O and Hep3B cells were incubated in hypoxia (1% O2) for 24 hours. Hypoxic cells were treated with the H2S donor GYY 4137 and the H2S inhibitor hydroxylamine. Following hypoxia erythropoietin, HIF-1α, HIF-2α and CBS expression was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. RESULTS: Hydroxylamine administration led to a significant decrease in erythropoietin, HIF-1α, HIF-2α and CBS protein levels during hypoxia. This was rescued by administration of GYY 4137 for erythropoietin, CBS and HIF-2α. Additionally, CSE -/- mice placed in hypoxia for 72 hours showed decreased renal erythropoietin production compared to wild-type mice. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest previously undocumented interplay of the production and action of H2S during hypoxia with subsequent erythropoietin production. The use of novel hydrogen sulfide donors could represent an alternative to standard therapies of anemia of renal failure.

Hydrogen Sulfide Treatment Mitigates Renal Allograft Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury during Cold Storage and Improves Early Transplant Kidney Function and Survival Following Allogeneic Renal Transplantation.

PURPOSE: Ischemia-reperfusion injury is unavoidable during organ transplantation. Prolonged ischemia-reperfusion injury is detrimental to short-term and long-term graft function and survival. H2S is a recently characterized, endogenously produced gaseous molecule with important physiological roles that has been shown to be cytoprotective during tissue ischemia-reperfusion injury. The current study aimed to determine whether H2S could mitigate cold renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in the clinically relevant context of allogeneic renal transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following bilateral native nephrectomy Lewis rats underwent renal transplantation with kidneys from Brown Norway donor rats that were flushed with cold (4C) standard University of Wisconsin preservation solution (University of Wisconsin preservation solution group) or cold University of Wisconsin preservation solution plus 150 µM NaHS (H2S group) solution. Kidneys were stored for 6 hours at 4C in the same solution. Recipient animals were monitored for 14 days or until sacrifice using metabolic cages to assess various parameters of renal graft function. RESULTS: H2S treatment improved early allograft survival and function, and decreased early levels of necrosis, apoptosis and Kim-1 compared to University of Wisconsin preservation solution alone. H2S treatment did not affect allograft rejection. Rather, it modulated the early allograft transcriptome to decrease the expression of renal injury, coagulation and cellular stress response genes, and increase the expression of cellular proliferation and Ifn-γ induced genes compared to University of Wisconsin preservation solution alone. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge our findings are the first to show that H2S protects donor kidneys against cold ischemia-reperfusion injury in the context of allogeneic renal transplantation. This potentially represents a novel cost-effective therapeutic solution to mitigate ischemia-reperfusion injury and improve the clinical outcomes of renal transplantation.

The Proteasome Distinguishes between Heterotypic and Homotypic Lysine-11-Linked Polyubiquitin Chains.

Proteasome-mediated degradation occurs with proteins principally modified with lysine-48 polyubiquitin chains. Whether the proteasome also can bind atypical ubiquitin chains, including those linked by lysine-11, has not been well established. This is critically important, as lysine-11 polyubiquitination has been implicated in both proteasome-mediated degradation and non-degradative outcomes. Here we demonstrate that pure homotypic lysine-11-linked chains do not bind strongly to the mammalian proteasome. By contrast, heterotypic polyubiquitin chains, containing lysine-11 and lysine-48 linkages, not only bind to the proteasome but also stimulate the proteasomal degradation of the cell-cycle regulator cyclin B1. Thus, while heterotypic lysine-11-linked chains facilitate proteasomal degradation, homotypic lysine-11 linkages adopt conformations that prevent association with the proteasome. Our data demonstrate the capacity of the proteasome to bind ubiquitin chains of distinct topology, with implications for the recognition and diverse biological functions of mixed ubiquitin chains.

Inhibition of endogenous hydrogen sulfide production in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma cell lines and xenografts restricts their growth, survival and angiogenic potential.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is characterized by Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)-deficiency, resulting in pseudohypoxic, angiogenic and glycolytic tumours. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an endogenously-produced gasotransmitter that accumulates under hypoxia and has been shown to be pro-angiogenic and cytoprotective in cancer. It was hypothesized that H2S levels are elevated in VHL-deficient ccRCC, contributing to survival, metabolism and angiogenesis. Using the H2S-specific probe MeRhoAz, it was found that H2S levels were higher in VHL-deficient ccRCC cell lines compared to cells with wild-type VHL. Inhibition of H2S-producing enzymes could reduce the proliferation, metabolism and survival of ccRCC cell lines, as determined by live-cell imaging, XTT/ATP assay, and flow cytometry respectively. Using the chorioallantoic membrane angiogenesis model, it was found that systemic inhibition of endogenous H2S production was able to decrease vascularization of VHL-deficient ccRCC xenografts. Endogenous H2S production is an attractive new target in ccRCC due to its involvement in multiple aspects of disease.

Hydrogen sulfide treatment ameliorates long-term renal dysfunction resulting from prolonged warm renal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) continues to rise concurrently with the increased prevalence of end-stage renal disease worldwide. Treatment for small renal masses continues to be partial nephrectomy mostly involving the clamping of renal blood vessels. Although necessary, this technique results in warm renal ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) to the afflicted kidney. We have recently demonstrated that hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a novel endogenous gaseous molecule, protects against prolonged cold and short-term warm renal IRI. In the current study, we examined whether exogenous H2S has long-term protective effects against warm renal IRI associated with renal surgical procedures. METHODS: Uni-nephrectomized Lewis rats underwent 1 hour of warm ischemia induced by clamping of the renal pelvis. Animals underwent either intraperitoneal treatment with phosphate buffered saline (PBS; IRI group) or PBS supplemented with 150 µM NaHS (H2S group), and were compared against Sham-operated rats. RESULTS: H2S treatment improved long-term renal function as serum creatinine at day 7 was significantly decreased in the H2S group compared to IRI animals (p < 0.05). H2S treatment decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory markers TLR-4, TNF-α, IFNγ, IL-2 and ICAM-1, increased the expression of pro-survival molecule Bcl-2 and decreased the expression of pro-apoptotic marker BID at postoperative day 1. H2S-treated kidneys also showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in infiltration of macrophages at day 7 post-IRI compared to no treatment. CONCLUSION: H2S treatment improved long-term renal function and decreased long-term inflammation associated with warm IRI, and may offer a novel therapeutic approach to preventing warm IRI-induced renal injury associated with renal surgical procedures.

Supplemental hydrogen sulphide protects transplant kidney function and prolongs recipient survival after prolonged cold ischaemia-reperfusion injury by mitigating renal graft apoptosis and inflammation.

UNLABELLED: What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Hydrogen sulphide (H(2) S) has recently been classified as a member of the family of small gaseous molecules called gasotransmitters and has been found to have many important physiological functions. Several recent studies have elucidated the protective effects of H(2) S in many models of tissue ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), including hepatic, myocardial, pulmonary, cerebral and renal IRI. It has previously been shown that H(2) S has a number of properties that may contribute to its protection against IRI, including vasodilatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects, although the specific actions appear to vary between tissues. The few studies investigating the effects of H(2) S against renal IRI have only involved clamping of the renal pedicle to induce warm IRI. This study investigated the protective effects of H(2) S in the context of renal transplantation (RTx), which generally involves a more severe period of prolonged cold IRI. A previous study investigated the actions of H(2) S in RTx, but it was performed ex vivo and did not involve actual transplantation of donor kidneys. To our knowledge, this is the first study using a clinically relevant model of RTx to show that treatment of donor kidneys with H(2) S during preservation is protective against prolonged cold IRI. These findings suggest that H(2) S has potential utility in improving clinical organ preservation techniques and increasing the overall success of organ transplantation. OBJECTIVE: • To characterize the effects of hydrogen sulphide (H(2) S), an endogenously produced molecule recently described to have protective effects against warm ischaemic tissue injury, in mitigating transplantation-associated prolonged cold ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in a clinically applicable in vivo model of renal transplantation (RTx). MATERIALS AND METHODS: • After undergoing bilateral native nephrectomy, Lewis rats underwent RTx with kidneys that were flushed with either cold (4 °C) standard University of Wisconsin preservation solution (UW) or cold UW + 150 µM NaHS (H(2) S) solution and stored for 24 h at 4 °C in the same solution. • Recipient rats were monitored for a 14-day time course using metabolic cages to assess various characteristics of renal graft function. • Renal grafts were removed at time of death or after the rats were killed for histological, immunohistochemical and quantitative PCR analysis. RESULTS: • H(2) S-treated rats exhibited immediate and significant (P < 0.05) decreases in serum creatinine levels, increased urine output and increased survival compared with UW-treated rats. • H(2) S-treated grafts showed significantly reduced glomerular and tubular necrosis and apoptosis, diminished graft neutrophil and macrophage infiltrates and a trend towards improved inflammatory and anti-apoptotic cytokine profiles. CONCLUSION: • Our results provide the first evidence that supplemental H(2) S can mitigate renal graft IRI incurred during transplantation and prolonged cold storage, improving early graft function and recipient survival in a clinically applicable model of RTx.