RESUMO
The immune checkpoint receptor lymphocyte activation gene 3 protein (LAG3) inhibits T cell function upon binding to major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC class II) or fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1). Despite the emergence of LAG3 as a target for next-generation immunotherapies, we have little information describing the molecular structure of the LAG3 protein or how it engages cellular ligands. Here we determined the structures of human and murine LAG3 ectodomains, revealing a dimeric assembly mediated by Ig domain 2. Epitope mapping indicates that a potent LAG3 antagonist antibody blocks interactions with MHC class II and FGL1 by binding to a flexible 'loop 2' region in LAG3 domain 1. We also defined the LAG3-FGL1 interface by mapping mutations onto structures of LAG3 and FGL1 and established that FGL1 cross-linking induces the formation of higher-order LAG3 oligomers. These insights can guide LAG3-based drug development and implicate ligand-mediated LAG3 clustering as a mechanism for disrupting T cell activation.
Assuntos
Antígenos CD/metabolismo , Ativação Linfocitária , Animais , Anticorpos , Fibrinogênio , Antígenos de Histocompatibilidade Classe II/metabolismo , Humanos , Imunoterapia , Ligantes , Camundongos , Receptores Imunológicos , Proteína do Gene 3 de Ativação de LinfócitosRESUMO
Blockade of the inhibitory receptor TIM-3 shows efficacy in cancer immunotherapy clinical trials. TIM-3 inhibits production of the chemokine CXCL9 by XCR1+ classical dendritic cells (cDC1), thereby limiting antitumor immunity in mammary carcinomas. We found that increased CXCL9 expression by splenic cDC1s upon TIM-3 blockade required type I interferons and extracellular DNA. Chemokine expression as well as combinatorial efficacy of TIM-3 blockade and paclitaxel chemotherapy were impaired by deletion of Cgas and Sting. TIM-3 blockade increased uptake of extracellular DNA by cDC1 through an endocytic process that resulted in cytoplasmic localization. DNA uptake and efficacy of TIM-3 blockade required DNA binding by HMGB1, while galectin-9-induced cell surface clustering of TIM-3 was necessary for its suppressive function. Human peripheral blood cDC1s also took up extracellular DNA upon TIM-3 blockade. Thus, TIM-3 regulates endocytosis of extracellular DNA and activation of the cytoplasmic DNA sensing cGAS-STING pathway in cDC1s, with implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying TIM-3 immunotherapy.
Assuntos
DNA/metabolismo , Células Dendríticas/metabolismo , Receptor Celular 2 do Vírus da Hepatite A/metabolismo , Proteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Nucleotidiltransferases/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais/fisiologia , Animais , Transporte Biológico/fisiologia , Linhagem Celular , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Quimiocinas/metabolismo , Citoplasma/metabolismo , Endocitose/fisiologia , Feminino , Células HEK293 , Humanos , Imunoterapia/métodos , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BLRESUMO
Pathogenic variants in the JAG1 gene are a primary cause of the multi-system disorder Alagille syndrome. Although variant detection rates are high for this disease, there is uncertainty associated with the classification of missense variants that leads to reduced diagnostic yield. Consequently, up to 85% of reported JAG1 missense variants have uncertain or conflicting classifications. We generated a library of 2,832 JAG1 nucleotide variants within exons 1-7, a region with a high number of reported missense variants, and designed a high-throughput assay to measure JAG1 membrane expression, a requirement for normal function. After calibration using a set of 175 known or predicted pathogenic and benign variants included within the variant library, 486 variants were characterized as functionally abnormal (n = 277 abnormal and n = 209 likely abnormal), of which 439 (90.3%) were missense. We identified divergent membrane expression occurring at specific residues, indicating that loss of the wild-type residue itself does not drive pathogenicity, a finding supported by structural modeling data and with broad implications for clinical variant classification both for Alagille syndrome and globally across other disease genes. Of 144 uncertain variants reported in patients undergoing clinical or research testing, 27 had functionally abnormal membrane expression, and inclusion of our data resulted in the reclassification of 26 to likely pathogenic. Functional evidence augments the classification of genomic variants, reducing uncertainty and improving diagnostics. Inclusion of this repository of functional evidence during JAG1 variant reclassification will significantly affect resolution of variant pathogenicity, making a critical impact on the molecular diagnosis of Alagille syndrome.
Assuntos
Síndrome de Alagille , Proteína Jagged-1 , Mutação de Sentido Incorreto , Síndrome de Alagille/genética , Proteína Jagged-1/genética , Humanos , Éxons/genéticaRESUMO
The G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor (GPBAR) conveys the cross-membrane signalling of a vast variety of bile acids and is a signalling hub in the liver-bile acid-microbiota-metabolism axis1-3. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structures of GPBAR-Gs complexes stabilized by either the high-affinity P3954 or the semisynthesized bile acid derivative INT-7771,3 at 3 Å resolution. These structures revealed a large oval pocket that contains several polar groups positioned to accommodate the amphipathic cholic core of bile acids, a fingerprint of key residues to recognize diverse bile acids in the orthosteric site, a putative second bile acid-binding site with allosteric properties and structural features that contribute to bias properties. Moreover, GPBAR undertakes an atypical mode of activation and G protein coupling that features a different set of key residues connecting the ligand-binding pocket to the Gs-coupling site, and a specific interaction motif that is localized in intracellular loop 3. Overall, our study not only reveals unique structural features of GPBAR that are involved in bile acid recognition and allosteric effects, but also suggests the presence of distinct connecting mechanisms between the ligand-binding pocket and the G-protein-binding site in the G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily.
Assuntos
Ácidos e Sais Biliares/metabolismo , Microscopia Crioeletrônica , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/metabolismo , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/ultraestrutura , Regulação Alostérica/efeitos dos fármacos , Ácidos e Sais Biliares/química , Sítios de Ligação/efeitos dos fármacos , Ácidos Cólicos/química , Ácidos Cólicos/farmacologia , Subunidades alfa Gs de Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/química , Subunidades alfa Gs de Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/metabolismo , Subunidades alfa Gs de Proteínas de Ligação ao GTP/ultraestrutura , Humanos , Ligantes , Modelos Moleculares , Ligação Proteica , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/agonistas , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/química , Especificidade por SubstratoRESUMO
The Notch pathway regulates cell fate decisions and is an emerging target for regenerative and cancer therapies. Recombinant Notch ligands are attractive candidates for modulating Notch signaling; however, their intrinsically low receptor-binding affinity restricts their utility in biomedical applications. To overcome this limitation, we evolved variants of the ligand Delta-like 4 with enhanced affinity and cross-reactivity. A consensus variant with maximized binding affinity, DeltaMAX, binds human and murine Notch receptors with 500- to 1,000-fold increased affinity compared with wild-type human Delta-like 4. DeltaMAX also potently activates Notch in plate-bound, bead-bound and cellular formats. When administered as a soluble decoy, DeltaMAX inhibits Notch in reporter and neuronal differentiation assays, highlighting its dual utility as an agonist or antagonist. Finally, we demonstrate that DeltaMAX stimulates increased proliferation and expression of effector mediators in T cells. Taken together, our data define DeltaMAX as a versatile tool for broad-spectrum activation or inhibition of Notch signaling.
Assuntos
Proteínas Adaptadoras de Transdução de Sinal , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intercelular , Humanos , Animais , Camundongos , Ligantes , Proteínas Adaptadoras de Transdução de Sinal/metabolismo , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intercelular/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação ao Cálcio/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais/fisiologia , Receptores Notch/metabolismoRESUMO
Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a pleiotropic cytokine that regulates immune cell homeostasis and has been used to treat a range of disorders including cancer and autoimmune disease. IL-2 signals via interleukin-2 receptor-ß (IL-2Rß):IL-2Rγ heterodimers on cells expressing high (regulatory T cells, Treg) or low (effector cells) amounts of IL-2Rα (CD25). When complexed with IL-2, certain anti-cytokine antibodies preferentially stimulate expansion of Treg (JES6-1) or effector (S4B6) cells, offering a strategy for targeted disease therapy. We found that JES6-1 sterically blocked the IL-2:IL-2Rß and IL-2:IL-2Rγ interactions, but also allosterically lowered the IL-2:IL-2Rα affinity through a "triggered exchange" mechanism favoring IL-2Rα(hi) Treg cells, creating a positive feedback loop for IL-2Rα(hi) cell activation. Conversely, S4B6 sterically blocked the IL-2:IL-2Rα interaction, while also conformationally stabilizing the IL-2:IL-2Rß interaction, thus stimulating all IL-2-responsive immune cells, particularly IL-2Rß(hi) effector cells. These insights provide a molecular blueprint for engineering selectively potentiating therapeutic antibodies.
Assuntos
Anticorpos/imunologia , Interleucina-2/metabolismo , Modelos Moleculares , Subpopulações de Linfócitos T/citologia , Subpopulações de Linfócitos T/imunologia , Animais , Anticorpos/química , Anticorpos/farmacologia , Doenças Autoimunes/imunologia , Ligação Competitiva/efeitos dos fármacos , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Progressão da Doença , Citometria de Fluxo , Regulação da Expressão Gênica/imunologia , Humanos , Interleucina-2/química , Interleucina-2/genética , Interleucina-2/imunologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Ligação Proteica/efeitos dos fármacos , Estrutura Terciária de Proteína , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Subpopulações de Linfócitos T/efeitos dos fármacos , Linfócitos T Reguladores/citologia , Linfócitos T Reguladores/efeitos dos fármacos , Linfócitos T Reguladores/imunologiaRESUMO
The Notch signalling pathway mediates cell fate decisions and is tumour suppressive or oncogenic depending on the context. During lung development, Notch pathway activation inhibits the differentiation of precursor cells to a neuroendocrine fate. In small-cell lung cancer, an aggressive neuroendocrine lung cancer, loss-of-function mutations in NOTCH genes and the inhibitory effects of ectopic Notch activation indicate that Notch signalling is tumour suppressive. Here we show that Notch signalling can be both tumour suppressive and pro-tumorigenic in small-cell lung cancer. Endogenous activation of the Notch pathway results in a neuroendocrine to non-neuroendocrine fate switch in 10-50% of tumour cells in a mouse model of small-cell lung cancer and in human tumours. This switch is mediated in part by Rest (also known as Nrsf), a transcriptional repressor that inhibits neuroendocrine gene expression. Non-neuroendocrine Notch-active small-cell lung cancer cells are slow growing, consistent with a tumour-suppressive role for Notch, but these cells are also relatively chemoresistant and provide trophic support to neuroendocrine tumour cells, consistent with a pro-tumorigenic role. Importantly, Notch blockade in combination with chemotherapy suppresses tumour growth and delays relapse in pre-clinical models. Thus, small-cell lung cancer tumours generate their own microenvironment via activation of Notch signalling in a subset of tumour cells, and the presence of these cells may serve as a biomarker for the use of Notch pathway inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy in select patients with small-cell lung cancer.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Pulmonares/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patologia , Receptores Notch/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Carcinoma de Pequenas Células do Pulmão/metabolismo , Carcinoma de Pequenas Células do Pulmão/patologia , Microambiente Tumoral , Animais , Diferenciação Celular , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Feminino , Humanos , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamento farmacológico , Masculino , Camundongos , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/prevenção & controle , Receptores Notch/agonistas , Receptores Notch/antagonistas & inibidores , Receptores Notch/deficiência , Proteínas Repressoras/metabolismo , Carcinoma de Pequenas Células do Pulmão/tratamento farmacológicoRESUMO
The canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signalling pathway governs diverse developmental, homeostatic and pathological processes. Palmitoylated Wnt ligands engage cell-surface frizzled (FZD) receptors and LRP5 and LRP6 co-receptors, enabling ß-catenin nuclear translocation and TCF/LEF-dependent gene transactivation. Mutations in Wnt downstream signalling components have revealed diverse functions thought to be carried out by Wnt ligands themselves. However, redundancy between the 19 mammalian Wnt proteins and 10 FZD receptors and Wnt hydrophobicity have made it difficult to attribute these functions directly to Wnt ligands. For example, individual mutations in Wnt ligands have not revealed homeostatic phenotypes in the intestinal epithelium-an archetypal canonical, Wnt pathway-dependent, rapidly self-renewing tissue, the regeneration of which is fueled by proliferative crypt Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells (ISCs). R-spondin ligands (RSPO1-RSPO4) engage distinct LGR4-LGR6, RNF43 and ZNRF3 receptor classes, markedly potentiate canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signalling, and induce intestinal organoid growth in vitro and Lgr5+ ISCs in vivo. However, the interchangeability, functional cooperation and relative contributions of Wnt versus RSPO ligands to in vivo canonical Wnt signalling and ISC biology remain unknown. Here we identify the functional roles of Wnt and RSPO ligands in the intestinal crypt stem-cell niche. We show that the default fate of Lgr5+ ISCs is to differentiate, unless both RSPO and Wnt ligands are present. However, gain-of-function studies using RSPO ligands and a new non-lipidated Wnt analogue reveal that these ligands have qualitatively distinct, non-interchangeable roles in ISCs. Wnt proteins are unable to induce Lgr5+ ISC self-renewal, but instead confer a basal competency by maintaining RSPO receptor expression that enables RSPO ligands to actively drive and specify the extent of stem-cell expansion. This functionally non-equivalent yet cooperative interaction between Wnt and RSPO ligands establishes a molecular precedent for regulation of mammalian stem cells by distinct priming and self-renewal factors, with broad implications for precise control of tissue regeneration.
Assuntos
Autorrenovação Celular , Intestinos/citologia , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/metabolismo , Células-Tronco/citologia , Células-Tronco/metabolismo , Trombospondinas/metabolismo , Proteínas Wnt/metabolismo , Animais , Linhagem da Célula , Proliferação de Células , Feminino , Humanos , Ligantes , Masculino , Camundongos , Organoides/citologia , Organoides/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Análise de Célula Única , Nicho de Células-Tronco , Transcriptoma , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases/metabolismo , beta Catenina/metabolismoRESUMO
Notch is a cell-surface receptor that controls cell-fate decisions and is regulated by O-glycans attached to epidermal growth factor-like (EGF) repeats in its extracellular domain. Protein O-fucosyltransferase 1 (Pofut1) modifies EGF repeats with O-fucose and is essential for Notch signaling. Constitutive activation of Notch signaling has been associated with a variety of human malignancies. Therefore, tools that inhibit Notch activity are being developed as cancer therapeutics. To this end, we screened L-fucose analogs for their effects on Notch signaling. Two analogs, 6-alkynyl and 6-alkenyl fucose, were substrates of Pofut1 and were incorporated directly into Notch EGF repeats in cells. Both analogs were potent inhibitors of binding to and activation of Notch1 by Notch ligands Dll1 and Dll4, but not by Jag1. Mutagenesis and modeling studies suggest that incorporation of the analogs into EGF8 of Notch1 markedly reduces the ability of Delta ligands to bind and activate Notch1.
Assuntos
Família de Proteínas EGF/metabolismo , Fucose/análogos & derivados , Fucose/farmacologia , Fucosiltransferases/metabolismo , Peptídeos e Proteínas de Sinalização Intracelular/metabolismo , Proteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Receptores Notch/antagonistas & inibidores , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Fucose/química , Fucose/genética , Fucosiltransferases/genética , Células HEK293 , Humanos , Ligantes , Ligação ProteicaRESUMO
While natural hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in highly diverse quasispecies of related viruses over time, mutations accumulate more slowly in tissue culture, in part because of the inefficiency of replication in cells. To create a highly diverse population of HCV particles in cell culture and identify novel growth-enhancing mutations, we engineered a library of infectious HCV with all codons represented at most positions in the ectodomain of the E2 gene. We identified many putative growth-adaptive mutations and selected nine highly represented E2 mutants for further study: Q412R, T416R, S449P, T563V, A579R, L619T, V626S, K632T, and L644I. We evaluated these mutants for changes in particle-to-infectious-unit ratio, sensitivity to neutralizing antibody or CD81 large extracellular loop (CD81-LEL) inhibition, entry factor usage, and buoyant density profiles. Q412R, T416R, S449P, T563V, and L619T were neutralized more efficiently by anti-E2 antibodies and T416R, T563V, and L619T by CD81-LEL. Remarkably, all nine variants showed reduced dependence on scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) for infection. This shift from SR-BI usage did not correlate with a change in the buoyant density profiles of the variants, suggesting an altered E2-SR-BI interaction rather than changes in the virus-associated lipoprotein-E2 interaction. Our results demonstrate that residues influencing SR-BI usage are distributed across E2 and support the development of large-scale mutagenesis studies to identify viral variants with unique functional properties. IMPORTANCE: Characterizing variant viruses can reveal new information about the life cycle of HCV and the roles played by different viral genes. However, it is difficult to recapitulate high levels of diversity in the laboratory because of limitations in the HCV culture system. To overcome this limitation, we engineered a library of mutations into the E2 gene in the context of an infectious clone of the virus. We used this library of viruses to identify nine mutations that enhance the growth rate of HCV. These growth-enhancing mutations reduced the dependence on a key entry receptor, SR-BI. By generating a highly diverse library of infectious HCV, we mapped regions of the E2 protein that influence a key virus-host interaction and provide proof of principle for the generation of large-scale mutant libraries for the study of pathogens with great sequence variability.
Assuntos
Hepacivirus/genética , Mutação , Receptores Depuradores Classe B/fisiologia , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/genética , Adaptação Fisiológica/genética , Substituição de Aminoácidos , Anticorpos Antivirais , Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Linhagem Celular , Biblioteca Gênica , Engenharia Genética , Genoma Viral , Hepacivirus/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Hepacivirus/fisiologia , Hepatite C/imunologia , Hepatite C/prevenção & controle , Hepatite C/virologia , Interações Hospedeiro-Patógeno/genética , Interações Hospedeiro-Patógeno/imunologia , Interações Hospedeiro-Patógeno/fisiologia , Humanos , Modelos Moleculares , Mutagênese Sítio-Dirigida , Tetraspanina 28 , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/química , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/imunologiaRESUMO
St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus responsible for several human encephalitis outbreaks over the last 80 years. Mature flavivirus virions are coated with dimeric envelope (E) proteins that mediate attachment and fusion with host cells. E is a class II fusion protein, the hallmark of which is a distinct dimer-to-trimer rearrangement that occurs upon endosomal acidification and insertion of hydrophobic fusion peptides into the endosomal membrane. Herein, we report the crystal structure of SLEV E in the posfusion trimer conformation. The structure revealed specific features that differentiate SLEV E from trimers of related flavi- and alphaviruses. SLEV E fusion loops have distinct intermediate spacing such that they are positioned further apart than previously observed in flaviviruses but closer together than Semliki Forest virus, an alphavirus. Domains II and III (DII and DIII) of SLEV E also adopt different angles relative to DI, which suggests that the DI-DII joint may accommodate spheroidal motions. However, trimer interfaces are well conserved among flaviviruses, so it is likely the differences observed represent structural features specific to SLEV function. Analysis of surface potentials revealed a basic platform underneath flavivirus fusion loops that may interact with the anionic lipid head groups found in membranes. Taken together, these results highlight variations in E structure and assembly that may direct virus-specific interactions with host determinants to influence pathogenesis.
Assuntos
Vírus da Encefalite de St. Louis/química , Proteínas Virais de Fusão/química , Internalização do Vírus , Cristalografia por Raios X , Vírus da Encefalite de St. Louis/fisiologia , Humanos , Modelos Moleculares , Multimerização Proteica , Estrutura Quaternária de Proteína , Proteínas Virais de Fusão/metabolismoRESUMO
Notch signaling regulates cell fate decisions and has context-dependent tumorigenic or tumor suppressor functions. Although several Notch inhibitors are under development as cancer therapies, the mechanical force requirement for Notch receptor activation has hindered attempts to generate soluble agonists. To address this problem, we engineered synthetic Notch agonist (SNAG) proteins that mimic the tension-generating mechanism of endogenous ligands. SNAGs were designed by fusing a high-affinity variant of the Notch ligand Delta-like 4 (DLL4) to antibody fragments that induce target internalization. This bispecific format enables the SNAG-bound biomarkers to "pull" on Notch receptors, triggering Notch activation in mixed populations of biomarker-expressing and non-expressing cells. SNAGs targeting the immune checkpoint PDL1 potently activated Notch in co-cultures of Notch1- and PDL1-expressing cells, but not in monocultures of Notch1-expressing cells alone. Additional SNAGs targeting the tumor antigens CD19 and HER2 also activated Notch in mixed cell populations, indicating that the SNAG design concept is adaptable to multiple biomarkers. SNAG-mediated Notch activation was blocked by a dynamin inhibitor, and efficacy increased dramatically when SNAGs were dimerized via fusion to antibody Fc domains, suggesting that endocytosis and multimerization are important for optimal SNAG function. These insights will greatly expand our ability to modulate Notch signaling for applications in immunotherapy and regenerative medicine.
RESUMO
The Notch receptor is a pleiotropic signaling protein that translates intercellular ligand interactions into changes in gene expression via the nuclear localization of the Notch intracellular Domain (NICD). Using a combination of immunohistochemistry, RNA in situ, Optogenetics and super-resolution live imaging of transcription in human cells, we show that the N1ICD can form condensates that positively facilitate Notch target gene expression. We determined that N1ICD undergoes Phase Separation Coupled Percolation (PSCP) into transcriptional condensates, which recruit, enrich, and encapsulate a broad set of core transcriptional proteins. We show that the capacity for condensation is due to the intrinsically disordered transcriptional activation domain of the N1ICD. In addition, the formation of such transcriptional condensates acts to promote Notch-mediated super enhancer-looping and concomitant activation of the MYC protooncogene expression. Overall, we introduce a novel mechanism of Notch1 activity in which discrete changes in nuclear N1ICD abundance are translated into the assembly of transcriptional condensates that facilitate gene expression by enriching essential transcriptional machineries at target genomic loci.
RESUMO
The Notch signaling pathway has fundamental roles in embryonic development and in the nervous system. The current model of receptor activation involves initiation via a force-induced conformational change. Here, we define conditions that reveal pulling force-independent Notch activation using soluble multivalent constructs. We treat neuroepithelial stem-like cells with molecularly precise ligand nanopatterns displayed from solution using DNA origami. Notch signaling follows with clusters of Jag1, and with chimeric structures where most Jag1 proteins are replaced by other binders not targeting Notch. Our data rule out several confounding factors and suggest a model where Jag1 activates Notch upon prolonged binding without appearing to need a pulling force. These findings reveal a distinct mode of activation of Notch and lay the foundation for the development of soluble agonists.
Assuntos
Receptores Notch , Transdução de Sinais , Receptores Notch/metabolismo , Proteína Jagged-1/genética , Proteína Jagged-1/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais/fisiologia , Proteínas de Ligação ao Cálcio/metabolismoRESUMO
The developmental origin of blood-forming hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is a longstanding question. Here, our non-invasive genetic lineage tracing in mouse embryos pinpoints that artery endothelial cells generate HSCs. Arteries are transiently competent to generate HSCs for 2.5 days (â¼E8.5-E11) but subsequently cease, delimiting a narrow time frame for HSC formation in vivo. Guided by the arterial origins of blood, we efficiently and rapidly differentiate human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into posterior primitive streak, lateral mesoderm, artery endothelium, hemogenic endothelium, and >90% pure hematopoietic progenitors within 10 days. hPSC-derived hematopoietic progenitors generate T, B, NK, erythroid, and myeloid cells in vitro and, critically, express hallmark HSC transcription factors HLF and HOXA5-HOXA10, which were previously challenging to upregulate. We differentiated hPSCs into highly enriched HLF+ HOXA+ hematopoietic progenitors with near-stoichiometric efficiency by blocking formation of unwanted lineages at each differentiation step. hPSC-derived HLF+ HOXA+ hematopoietic progenitors could avail both basic research and cellular therapies.
Assuntos
Diferenciação Celular , Linhagem da Célula , Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas , Células-Tronco Pluripotentes , Animais , Humanos , Camundongos , Células Endoteliais/metabolismo , Células Endoteliais/citologia , Hematopoese , Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas/metabolismo , Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas/citologia , Proteínas de Homeodomínio/metabolismo , Proteínas de Homeodomínio/genética , Células-Tronco Pluripotentes/metabolismo , Células-Tronco Pluripotentes/citologia , Fatores de Transcrição/metabolismo , Fatores de Transcrição/genética , Fatores de Transcrição de Zíper de Leucina Básica/genética , Fatores de Transcrição de Zíper de Leucina Básica/metabolismoRESUMO
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the leading global cause of viral encephalitis. The JEV envelope protein (E) facilitates cellular attachment and membrane fusion and is the primary target of neutralizing antibodies. We have determined the 2.1-Å resolution crystal structure of the JEV E ectodomain refolded from bacterial inclusion bodies. The E protein possesses the three domains characteristic of flavivirus envelopes and epitope mapping of neutralizing antibodies onto the structure reveals determinants that correspond to the domain I lateral ridge, fusion loop, domain III lateral ridge, and domain I-II hinge. While monomeric in solution, JEV E assembles as an antiparallel dimer in the crystal lattice organized in a highly similar fashion as seen in cryo-electron microscopy models of mature flavivirus virions. The dimer interface, however, is remarkably small and lacks many of the domain II contacts observed in other flavivirus E homodimers. In addition, uniquely conserved histidines within the JEV serocomplex suggest that pH-mediated structural transitions may be aided by lateral interactions outside the dimer interface in the icosahedral virion. Our results suggest that variation in dimer structure and stability may significantly influence the assembly, receptor interaction, and uncoating of virions.
Assuntos
Vírus da Encefalite Japonesa (Espécie)/química , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/química , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/química , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Linhagem Celular , Cristalografia por Raios X , Dimerização , Vírus da Encefalite Japonesa (Espécie)/genética , Vírus da Encefalite Japonesa (Espécie)/imunologia , Encefalite Japonesa/virologia , Mapeamento de Epitopos , Humanos , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/genética , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/imunologia , Modelos Moleculares , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Estrutura Terciária de Proteína , Alinhamento de Sequência , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/genética , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/imunologiaRESUMO
The Notch pathway regulates a diverse array of cell fate decisions, making it an enticing target in cancer therapy and regenerative medicine. During the early stages of Notch drug development, off-target toxicity precluded the approval of Notch inhibitors for the treatment of cancer. However, recent advances in our understanding of Notch structure and signaling have led to the development of several innovative Notch-based biotechnologies. In addition to new classes of inhibitors, pharmacological Notch activators have been shown to enhance osteogenesis and various aspects of T cell function. Furthermore, the mechanosensitive negative regulatory region (NRR) of the Notch receptor has been converted into synthetic Notch (synNotch) receptors with fully customizable signaling circuits. We review emergent Notch-based compounds, biologics, and cell therapies while highlighting the challenges and opportunities they face on the path to clinical development.
Assuntos
Neoplasias , Receptores Notch , Humanos , Receptores Notch/metabolismo , Receptores Notch/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais/fisiologia , BiotecnologiaRESUMO
The atypical cadherins Fat and Dachsous are key regulators of cell growth and animal development. In contrast to classical cadherins, which form homophilic interactions to segregate cells, Fat and Dachsous cadherins form heterophilic interactions to induce cell polarity within tissues. Here, we determine the co-crystal structure of the human homologs Fat4 and Dachsous1 (Dchs1) to establish the molecular basis for Fat-Dachsous interactions. The binding domains of Fat4 and Dchs1 form an extended interface along extracellular cadherin (EC) domains 1-4 of each protein. Biophysical measurements indicate that Fat4-Dchs1 affinity is among the highest reported for cadherin superfamily members, which is attributed to an extensive network of salt bridges not present in structurally similar protocadherin homodimers. Furthermore, modeling suggests that unusual extracellular phosphorylation modifications directly modulate Fat-Dachsous binding by introducing charged contacts across the interface. Collectively, our analyses reveal how the molecular architecture of Fat4-Dchs1 enables them to form long-range, high-affinity interactions to maintain planar cell polarity.
Assuntos
Caderinas , Polaridade Celular , Proteínas Supressoras de Tumor , Humanos , Caderinas/química , Proteínas Supressoras de Tumor/química , Proteínas Relacionadas a Caderinas/químicaRESUMO
Immunotherapy efficacy is limited in melanoma, and combinations of immunotherapies with other modalities have yielded limited improvements but also adverse events requiring cessation of treatment. In addition to ineffective patient stratification, efficacy is impaired by paucity of intratumoral immune cells (itICs); thus, effective strategies to safely increase itICs are needed. We report that dietary administration of L-fucose induces fucosylation and cell surface enrichment of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-II protein HLA-DRB1 in melanoma cells, triggering CD4+ T cell-mediated increases in itICs and anti-tumor immunity, enhancing immune checkpoint blockade responses. Melanoma fucosylation and fucosylated HLA-DRB1 associate with intratumoral T cell abundance and anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) responder status in patient melanoma specimens, suggesting the potential use of melanoma fucosylation as a strategy for stratifying patients for immunotherapies. Our findings demonstrate that fucosylation is a key mediator of anti-tumor immunity and, importantly, suggest that L-fucose is a powerful agent for safely increasing itICs and immunotherapy efficacy in melanoma.
Assuntos
Fucose , Melanoma , Humanos , Cadeias HLA-DRB1/genética , Cadeias HLA-DRB1/metabolismo , Fucose/metabolismo , Melanoma/tratamento farmacológico , Imunoterapia , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/metabolismo , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/patologiaRESUMO
The E2 glycoprotein of hepatitis C virus (HCV) mediates viral attachment and entry into target hepatocytes and elicits neutralizing antibodies in infected patients. To characterize the structural and functional basis of HCV neutralization, we generated a novel panel of 78 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against E2 proteins from genotype 1a and 2a HCV strains. Using high-throughput focus-forming reduction or luciferase-based neutralization assays with chimeric infectious HCV containing structural proteins from both genotypes, we defined eight MAbs that significantly inhibited infection of the homologous HCV strain in cell culture. Two of these bound E2 proteins from strains representative of HCV genotypes 1 to 6, and one of these MAbs, H77.39, neutralized infection of strains from five of these genotypes. The three most potent neutralizing MAbs in our panel, H77.16, H77.39, and J6.36, inhibited infection at an early postattachment step. Receptor binding studies demonstrated that H77.39 inhibited binding of soluble E2 protein to both CD81 and SR-B1, J6.36 blocked attachment to SR-B1 and modestly reduced binding to CD81, and H77.16 blocked attachment to SR-B1 only. Using yeast surface display, we localized epitopes for the neutralizing MAbs on the E2 protein. Two of the strongly inhibitory MAbs, H77.16 and J6.36, showed markedly reduced binding when amino acids within hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) and at sites â¼100 to 200 residues away were changed, suggesting binding to a discontinuous epitope. Collectively, these studies help to define the structural and functional complexity of antibodies against HCV E2 protein with neutralizing potential.