Systems Biology

Prediction of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer by a Specific Collagen-related Transcriptome, Proteome, and Urinome Signature

Sun, 2024-06-09 06:00

Eur Urol Oncol. 2024 Jun 7:S2588-9311(24)00144-5. doi: 10.1016/j.euo.2024.05.014. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: While collagen density has been associated with poor outcomes in various cancers, its role in prostate cancer (PCa) remains elusive. Our aim was to analyze collagen-related transcriptomic, proteomic, and urinome alterations in the context of detection of clinically significant PCa (csPCa, International Society of Urological Pathology [ISUP] grade group ≥2).

METHODS: Comprehensive analyses for PCa transcriptome (n = 1393), proteome (n = 104), and urinome (n = 923) data sets focused on 55 collagen-related genes. Investigation of the cellular source of collagen-related transcripts via single-cell RNA sequencing was conducted. Statistical evaluations, clustering, and machine learning models were used for data analysis to identify csPCa signatures.

KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: Differential expression of 30 of 55 collagen-related genes and 34 proteins was confirmed in csPCa in comparison to benign prostate tissue or ISUP 1 cancer. A collagen-high cancer cluster exhibited distinct cellular and molecular characteristics, including fibroblast and endothelial cell infiltration, intense extracellular matrix turnover, and enhanced growth factor and inflammatory signaling. Robust collagen-based machine learning models were established to identify csPCa. The models outcompeted prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and age, showing comparable performance to multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) in predicting csPCa. Of note, the urinome-based collagen model identified four of five csPCa cases among patients with Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-IRADS) 3 lesions, for which the presence of csPCa is considered equivocal. The retrospective character of the study is a limitation.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Collagen-related transcriptome, proteome, and urinome signatures exhibited superior accuracy in detecting csPCa in comparison to PSA and age. The collagen signatures, especially in cases of ambiguous lesions on mpMRI, successfully identified csPCa and could potentially reduce unnecessary biopsies. The urinome-based collagen signature represents a promising liquid biopsy tool that requires prospective evaluation to improve the potential of this collagen-based approach to enhance diagnostic precision in PCa for risk stratification and guiding personalized interventions.

PATIENT SUMMARY: In our study, collagen-related alterations in tissue, and urine were able to predict the presence of clinically significant prostate cancer at primary diagnosis.

PMID:38851995 | DOI:10.1016/j.euo.2024.05.014

Categories: Literature Watch

SOD3 suppresses early cellular immune responses to parasite infection

Sat, 2024-06-08 06:00

Nat Commun. 2024 Jun 8;15(1):4913. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-49348-0.

ABSTRACT

Host immune responses are tightly controlled by various immune factors during infection, and protozoan parasites also manipulate the immune system to evade surveillance, leading to an evolutionary arms race in host‒pathogen interactions; however, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. We observed that the level of superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3) was significantly elevated in both Plasmodium falciparum malaria patients and mice infected with four parasite species. SOD3-deficient mice had a substantially longer survival time and lower parasitemia than control mice after infection, whereas SOD3-overexpressing mice were much more vulnerable to parasite infection. We revealed that SOD3, secreted from activated neutrophils, bound to T cells, suppressed the interleukin-2 expression and concomitant interferon-gamma responses crucial for parasite clearance. Overall, our findings expose active fronts in the arms race between the parasites and host immune system and provide insights into the roles of SOD3 in shaping host innate immune responses to parasite infection.

PMID:38851821 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-024-49348-0

Categories: Literature Watch

Proteomic profiling reveals ACSS2 facilitating metabolic support in acute myeloid leukemia

Sat, 2024-06-08 06:00

Cancer Gene Ther. 2024 Jun 8. doi: 10.1038/s41417-024-00785-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by genomic aberrations in oncogenes, cytogenetic abnormalities, and an aberrant epigenetic landscape. Nearly 50% of AML cases will relapse with current treatment. A major source of therapy resistance is the interaction of mesenchymal stroma with leukemic cells resulting in therapeutic protection. We aimed to determine pro-survival/anti-apoptotic protein networks involved in the stroma protection of leukemic cells. Proteomic profiling of cultured primary AML (n = 14) with Hs5 stroma cell line uncovered an up-regulation of energy-favorable metabolic proteins. Next, we modulated stroma-induced drug resistance with an epigenetic drug library, resulting in reduced apoptosis with histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) treatment versus other epigenetic modifying compounds. Quantitative phosphoproteomic probing of this effect further revealed a metabolic-enriched phosphoproteome including significant up-regulation of acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase (ACSS2, S30) in leukemia-stroma HDACi treated cocultures compared with untreated monocultures. Validating these findings, we show ACSS2 substrate, acetate, promotes leukemic proliferation, ACSS2 knockout in leukemia cells inhibits leukemic proliferation and ACSS2 knockout in the stroma impairs leukemic metabolic fitness. Finally, we identify ACSS1/ACSS2-high expression AML subtype correlating with poor overall survival. Collectively, this study uncovers the leukemia-stroma phosphoproteome emphasizing a role for ACSS2 in mediating AML growth and drug resistance.

PMID:38851813 | DOI:10.1038/s41417-024-00785-5

Categories: Literature Watch

Association of post-COVID phenotypic manifestations with new-onset psychiatric disease

Sat, 2024-06-08 06:00

Transl Psychiatry. 2024 Jun 8;14(1):246. doi: 10.1038/s41398-024-02967-z.

ABSTRACT

Acute COVID-19 infection can be followed by diverse clinical manifestations referred to as Post Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV2 Infection (PASC). Studies have shown an increased risk of being diagnosed with new-onset psychiatric disease following a diagnosis of acute COVID-19. However, it was unclear whether non-psychiatric PASC-associated manifestations (PASC-AMs) are associated with an increased risk of new-onset psychiatric disease following COVID-19. A retrospective electronic health record (EHR) cohort study of 2,391,006 individuals with acute COVID-19 was performed to evaluate whether non-psychiatric PASC-AMs are associated with new-onset psychiatric disease. Data were obtained from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C), which has EHR data from 76 clinical organizations. EHR codes were mapped to 151 non-psychiatric PASC-AMs recorded 28-120 days following SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and before diagnosis of new-onset psychiatric disease. Association of newly diagnosed psychiatric disease with age, sex, race, pre-existing comorbidities, and PASC-AMs in seven categories was assessed by logistic regression. There were significant associations between a diagnosis of any psychiatric disease and five categories of PASC-AMs with odds ratios highest for neurological, cardiovascular, and constitutional PASC-AMs with odds ratios of 1.31, 1.29, and 1.23 respectively. Secondary analysis revealed that the proportions of 50 individual clinical features significantly differed between patients diagnosed with different psychiatric diseases. Our study provides evidence for association between non-psychiatric PASC-AMs and the incidence of newly diagnosed psychiatric disease. Significant associations were found for features related to multiple organ systems. This information could prove useful in understanding risk stratification for new-onset psychiatric disease following COVID-19. Prospective studies are needed to corroborate these findings.

PMID:38851761 | DOI:10.1038/s41398-024-02967-z

Categories: Literature Watch

Proximal termination generates a transcriptional state that determines the rate of establishment of Polycomb silencing

Sat, 2024-06-08 06:00

Mol Cell. 2024 Jun 5:S1097-2765(24)00437-4. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.05.014. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The mechanisms and timescales controlling de novo establishment of chromatin-mediated transcriptional silencing by Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) are unclear. Here, we investigate PRC2 silencing at ArabidopsisFLOWERINGLOCUS C (FLC), known to involve co-transcriptional RNA processing, histone demethylation activity, and PRC2 function, but so far not mechanistically connected. We develop and test a computational model describing proximal polyadenylation/termination mediated by the RNA-binding protein FCA that induces H3K4me1 removal by the histone demethylase FLD. H3K4me1 removal feeds back to reduce RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) processivity and thus enhance early termination, thereby repressing productive transcription. The model predicts that this transcription-coupled repression controls the level of transcriptional antagonism to PRC2 action. Thus, the effectiveness of this repression dictates the timescale for establishment of PRC2/H3K27me3 silencing. We experimentally validate these mechanistic model predictions, revealing that co-transcriptional processing sets the level of productive transcription at the locus, which then determines the rate of the ON-to-OFF switch to PRC2 silencing.

PMID:38851186 | DOI:10.1016/j.molcel.2024.05.014

Categories: Literature Watch

A spatiotemporal map of co-receptor signaling networks underlying B cell activation

Sat, 2024-06-08 06:00

Cell Rep. 2024 Jun 7;43(6):114332. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114332. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The B cell receptor (BCR) signals together with a multi-component co-receptor complex to initiate B cell activation in response to antigen binding. Here, we take advantage of peroxidase-catalyzed proximity labeling combined with quantitative mass spectrometry to track co-receptor signaling dynamics in Raji cells from 10 s to 2 h after BCR stimulation. This approach enables tracking of 2,814 proximity-labeled proteins and 1,394 phosphosites and provides an unbiased and quantitative molecular map of proteins recruited to the vicinity of CD19, the signaling subunit of the co-receptor complex. We detail the recruitment kinetics of signaling effectors to CD19 and identify previously uncharacterized mediators of B cell activation. We show that the glutamate transporter SLC1A1 is responsible for mediating rapid metabolic reprogramming and for maintaining redox homeostasis during B cell activation. This study provides a comprehensive map of BCR signaling and a rich resource for uncovering the complex signaling networks that regulate activation.

PMID:38850533 | DOI:10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114332

Categories: Literature Watch

Aberrant expression of B7-H4 and B7-H5 contributes to the development of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

Sat, 2024-06-08 06:00

Arch Dermatol Res. 2024 Jun 8;316(7):382. doi: 10.1007/s00403-024-03095-w.

ABSTRACT

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is the second most common malignant tumor of the skin. B7 homolog 4 (B7-H4) and B7-H5 (B7 homolog 5) are associated with a variety of tumors. Investigate the potential role of B7-H4 and B7-H5 in regulating the tumorigenesis and progression of CSCC. B7-H4 and B7-H5 transcriptome data were collected from GEO and TCGA databases and subjected to bioinformatical analysis by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, functional enrichment analysis, immune analysis, and drug-gene interaction prediction analysis. We characterized the expression of B7-H4 and B7-H5 in carcinoma tissues of CSCC patients by immunohistochemistry. Meanwhile, the clinical correlation of B7-H4 and B7-H5 in CSCC was explored by statistical analysis. B7-H4 and B7-H5 genes were under-expressed in CSCC and correlated with tumor staging. According to GO and KEGG Pathway enrichment analysis, B7-H4, and B7-H5 can regulate the proliferation and activation of T cells, lymphocytes, and monocytes, and the expression of cytokines, such as IL-6 and IL-10, in CSCC. B7-H4 and B7-H5 are also jointly involved in the occurrence and development of CSCC via the JAK-STAT and Notch signaling pathways. We found that B7-H4 and B7-H5 proteins were abnormally highly expressed in CSCC tissue and correlated with tumor size and stage. Our findings offer new insights into the pathogenesis of CSCC and suggest that B7-H4 and B7-H5 are novel tissue biomarkers and promising therapeutic targets for CSCC.

PMID:38850312 | DOI:10.1007/s00403-024-03095-w

Categories: Literature Watch

CAbiNet: joint clustering and visualization of cells and genes for single-cell transcriptomics

Sat, 2024-06-08 06:00

Nucleic Acids Res. 2024 Jun 8:gkae480. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkae480. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

A fundamental analysis task for single-cell transcriptomics data is clustering with subsequent visualization of cell clusters. The genes responsible for the clustering are only inferred in a subsequent step. Clustering cells and genes together would be the remit of biclustering algorithms, which are often bogged down by the size of single-cell data. Here we present 'Correspondence Analysis based Biclustering on Networks' (CAbiNet) for joint clustering and visualization of single-cell RNA-sequencing data. CAbiNet performs efficient co-clustering of cells and their respective marker genes and jointly visualizes the biclusters in a non-linear embedding for easy and interactive visual exploration of the data.

PMID:38850160 | DOI:10.1093/nar/gkae480

Categories: Literature Watch

Effects of intensive lifestyle changes on the progression of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia due to Alzheimer's disease: a randomized, controlled clinical trial

Fri, 2024-06-07 06:00

Alzheimers Res Ther. 2024 Jun 7;16(1):122. doi: 10.1186/s13195-024-01482-z.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Evidence links lifestyle factors with Alzheimer's disease (AD). We report the first randomized, controlled clinical trial to determine if intensive lifestyle changes may beneficially affect the progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early dementia due to AD.

METHODS: A 1:1 multicenter randomized controlled phase 2 trial, ages 45-90 with MCI or early dementia due to AD and a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score of 18 or higher. The primary outcome measures were changes in cognition and function tests: Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGIC), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-Cog), Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB), and Clinical Dementia Rating Global (CDR-G) after 20 weeks of an intensive multidomain lifestyle intervention compared to a wait-list usual care control group. ADAS-Cog, CDR-SB, and CDR-Global scales were compared using a Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and CGIC was compared using Fisher's exact test. Secondary outcomes included plasma Aβ42/40 ratio, other biomarkers, and correlating lifestyle with the degree of change in these measures.

RESULTS: Fifty-one AD patients enrolled, mean age 73.5. No significant differences in any measures at baseline. Only two patients withdrew. All patients had plasma Aβ42/40 ratios <0.0672 at baseline, strongly supporting AD diagnosis. After 20 weeks, significant between-group differences in the CGIC (p= 0.001), CDR-SB (p= 0.032), and CDR Global (p= 0.037) tests and borderline significance in the ADAS-Cog test (p= 0.053). CGIC, CDR Global, and ADAS-Cog showed improvement in cognition and function and CDR-SB showed significantly less progression, compared to the control group which worsened in all four measures. Aβ42/40 ratio increased in the intervention group and decreased in the control group (p = 0.003). There was a significant correlation between lifestyle and both cognitive function and the plasma Aβ42/40 ratio. The microbiome improved only in the intervention group (p <0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive lifestyle changes may significantly improve cognition and function after 20 weeks in many patients with MCI or early dementia due to AD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Approved by Western Institutional Review Board on 12/31/2017 (#20172897) and by Institutional Review Boards of all sites. This study was registered retrospectively with clinicaltrials.gov on October 8, 2020 (NCT04606420, ID: 20172897).

PMID:38849944 | DOI:10.1186/s13195-024-01482-z

Categories: Literature Watch

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of LMOD1 expression summarizes two modes of cell communication in colorectal cancer

Fri, 2024-06-07 06:00

J Transl Med. 2024 Jun 7;22(1):549. doi: 10.1186/s12967-024-05369-3.

ABSTRACT

Cellular communication (CC) influences tumor development by mediating intercellular junctions between cells. However, the role and underlying mechanisms of CC in malignant transformation remain unknown. Here, we investigated the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of CC molecular expression during malignant transformation. It was found that although both tight junctions (TJs) and gap junctions (GJs) were involved in maintaining the tumor microenvironment (TME), they exhibited opposite characteristics. Mechanistically, for epithelial cells (parenchymal component), the expression of TJ molecules consistently decreased during normal-cancer transformation and is a potential oncogenic factor. For fibroblasts (mesenchymal component), the expression of GJs consistently increased during normal-cancer transformation and is a potential oncogenic factor. In addition, the molecular profiles of TJs and GJs were used to stratify colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, where subtypes characterized by high GJ levels and low TJ levels exhibited enhanced mesenchymal signals. Importantly, we propose that leiomodin 1 (LMOD1) is biphasic, with features of both TJs and GJs. LMOD1 not only promotes the activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) but also inhibits the Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program in cancer cells. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate the molecular heterogeneity of CC and provide new insights into further understanding of TME heterogeneity.

PMID:38849852 | DOI:10.1186/s12967-024-05369-3

Categories: Literature Watch

Systematic assessment of long-read RNA-seq methods for transcript identification and quantification

Fri, 2024-06-07 06:00

Nat Methods. 2024 Jun 7. doi: 10.1038/s41592-024-02298-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The Long-read RNA-Seq Genome Annotation Assessment Project Consortium was formed to evaluate the effectiveness of long-read approaches for transcriptome analysis. Using different protocols and sequencing platforms, the consortium generated over 427 million long-read sequences from complementary DNA and direct RNA datasets, encompassing human, mouse and manatee species. Developers utilized these data to address challenges in transcript isoform detection, quantification and de novo transcript detection. The study revealed that libraries with longer, more accurate sequences produce more accurate transcripts than those with increased read depth, whereas greater read depth improved quantification accuracy. In well-annotated genomes, tools based on reference sequences demonstrated the best performance. Incorporating additional orthogonal data and replicate samples is advised when aiming to detect rare and novel transcripts or using reference-free approaches. This collaborative study offers a benchmark for current practices and provides direction for future method development in transcriptome analysis.

PMID:38849569 | DOI:10.1038/s41592-024-02298-3

Categories: Literature Watch

Scalable design of orthogonal DNA barcode libraries

Fri, 2024-06-07 06:00

Nat Comput Sci. 2024 Jun 7. doi: 10.1038/s43588-024-00646-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Orthogonal DNA barcode library design is an essential task in bioengineering. Here we present seqwalk, an efficient method for designing barcode libraries that satisfy a sequence symmetry minimization (SSM) heuristic for orthogonality, with theoretical guarantees of maximal or near-maximal library size under certain design constraints. Seqwalk encodes SSM constraints in a de Bruijn graph representation of sequence space, enabling the application of recent advances in discrete mathematics1 to the problem of orthogonal sequence design. We demonstrate the scalability of seqwalk by designing a library of >106 SSM-satisfying barcode sequences in less than 20 s on a standard laptop.

PMID:38849559 | DOI:10.1038/s43588-024-00646-z

Categories: Literature Watch

Extraembryonic gut endoderm cells undergo programmed cell death during development

Fri, 2024-06-07 06:00

Nat Cell Biol. 2024 Jun 7. doi: 10.1038/s41556-024-01431-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Despite a distinct developmental origin, extraembryonic cells in mice contribute to gut endoderm and converge to transcriptionally resemble their embryonic counterparts. Notably, all extraembryonic progenitors share a non-canonical epigenome, raising several pertinent questions, including whether this landscape is reset to match the embryonic regulation and if extraembryonic cells persist into later development. Here we developed a two-colour lineage-tracing strategy to track and isolate extraembryonic cells over time. We find that extraembryonic gut cells display substantial memory of their developmental origin including retention of the original DNA methylation landscape and resulting transcriptional signatures. Furthermore, we show that extraembryonic gut cells undergo programmed cell death and neighbouring embryonic cells clear their remnants via non-professional phagocytosis. By midgestation, we no longer detect extraembryonic cells in the wild-type gut, whereas they persist and differentiate further in p53-mutant embryos. Our study provides key insights into the molecular and developmental fate of extraembryonic cells inside the embryo.

PMID:38849542 | DOI:10.1038/s41556-024-01431-w

Categories: Literature Watch

Synthetic retinoid-mediated preconditioning of cancer-associated fibroblasts and macrophages improves cancer response to immune checkpoint blockade

Fri, 2024-06-07 06:00

Br J Cancer. 2024 Jun 7. doi: 10.1038/s41416-024-02734-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The proliferation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) hampers drug delivery and anti-tumor immunity, inducing tumor resistance to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. However, it has remained a challenge to develop therapeutics that specifically target or modulate CAFs.

METHODS: We investigated the involvement of Meflin+ cancer-restraining CAFs (rCAFs) in ICB efficacy in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and urothelial carcinoma (UC). We examined the effects of Am80 (a synthetic retinoid) administration on CAF phenotype, the tumor immune microenvironment, and ICB efficacy in cancer mouse models.

RESULTS: High infiltration of Meflin+ CAFs correlated with ICB efficacy in patients with ccRCC and UC. Meflin+ CAF induction by Am80 administration improved ICB efficacy in the mouse models of cancer. Am80 exerted this effect when administered prior to, but not concomitant with, ICB therapy in wild-type but not Meflin-deficient mice. Am80-mediated induction of Meflin+ CAFs was associated with increases in antibody delivery and M1-like tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) infiltration. Finally, we showed the role of Chemerin produced from CAFs after Am80 administration in the induction of M1-like TAMs.

CONCLUSION: Our data suggested that Am80 administration prior to ICB therapy increases the number of Meflin+ rCAFs and ICB efficacy by inducing changes in TAM phenotype.

PMID:38849479 | DOI:10.1038/s41416-024-02734-3

Categories: Literature Watch

Multiomic ALS signatures highlight subclusters and sex differences suggesting the MAPK pathway as therapeutic target

Fri, 2024-06-07 06:00

Nat Commun. 2024 Jun 7;15(1):4893. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-49196-y.

ABSTRACT

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating motor neuron disease and lacks effective disease-modifying treatments. This study utilizes a comprehensive multiomic approach to investigate the early and sex-specific molecular mechanisms underlying ALS. By analyzing the prefrontal cortex of 51 patients with sporadic ALS and 50 control subjects, alongside four transgenic mouse models (C9orf72-, SOD1-, TDP-43-, and FUS-ALS), we have uncovered significant molecular alterations associated with the disease. Here, we show that males exhibit more pronounced changes in molecular pathways compared to females. Our integrated analysis of transcriptomes, (phospho)proteomes, and miRNAomes also identified distinct ALS subclusters in humans, characterized by variations in immune response, extracellular matrix composition, mitochondrial function, and RNA processing. The molecular signatures of human subclusters were reflected in specific mouse models. Our study highlighted the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway as an early disease mechanism. We further demonstrate that trametinib, a MAPK inhibitor, has potential therapeutic benefits in vitro and in vivo, particularly in females, suggesting a direction for developing targeted ALS treatments.

PMID:38849340 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-024-49196-y

Categories: Literature Watch

Isthmus progenitor cells contribute to homeostatic cellular turnover and support regeneration following intestinal injury

Fri, 2024-06-07 06:00

Cell. 2024 Jun 6;187(12):3056-3071.e17. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.05.004.

ABSTRACT

The currently accepted intestinal epithelial cell organization model proposes that Lgr5+ crypt-base columnar (CBC) cells represent the sole intestinal stem cell (ISC) compartment. However, previous studies have indicated that Lgr5+ cells are dispensable for intestinal regeneration, leading to two major hypotheses: one favoring the presence of a quiescent reserve ISC and the other calling for differentiated cell plasticity. To investigate these possibilities, we studied crypt epithelial cells in an unbiased fashion via high-resolution single-cell profiling. These studies, combined with in vivo lineage tracing, show that Lgr5 is not a specific ISC marker and that stemness potential exists beyond the crypt base and resides in the isthmus region, where undifferentiated cells participate in intestinal homeostasis and regeneration following irradiation (IR) injury. Our results provide an alternative model of intestinal epithelial cell organization, suggesting that stemness potential is not restricted to CBC cells, and neither de-differentiation nor reserve ISC are drivers of intestinal regeneration.

PMID:38848678 | DOI:10.1016/j.cell.2024.05.004

Categories: Literature Watch

Time-resolved fate mapping identifies the intestinal upper crypt zone as an origin of Lgr5+ crypt base columnar cells

Fri, 2024-06-07 06:00

Cell. 2024 Jun 6;187(12):3039-3055.e14. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.05.001.

ABSTRACT

In the prevailing model, Lgr5+ cells are the only intestinal stem cells (ISCs) that sustain homeostatic epithelial regeneration by upward migration of progeny through elusive upper crypt transit-amplifying (TA) intermediates. Here, we identify a proliferative upper crypt population marked by Fgfbp1, in the location of putative TA cells, that is transcriptionally distinct from Lgr5+ cells. Using a kinetic reporter for time-resolved fate mapping and Fgfbp1-CreERT2 lineage tracing, we establish that Fgfbp1+ cells are multi-potent and give rise to Lgr5+ cells, consistent with their ISC function. Fgfbp1+ cells also sustain epithelial regeneration following Lgr5+ cell depletion. We demonstrate that FGFBP1, produced by the upper crypt cells, is an essential factor for crypt proliferation and epithelial homeostasis. Our findings support a model in which tissue regeneration originates from upper crypt Fgfbp1+ cells that generate progeny propagating bi-directionally along the crypt-villus axis and serve as a source of Lgr5+ cells in the crypt base.

PMID:38848677 | DOI:10.1016/j.cell.2024.05.001

Categories: Literature Watch

Gene regulatory network topology governs resistance and treatment escape in glioma stem-like cells

Fri, 2024-06-07 06:00

Sci Adv. 2024 Jun 7;10(23):eadj7706. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adj7706. Epub 2024 Jun 7.

ABSTRACT

Poor prognosis and drug resistance in glioblastoma (GBM) can result from cellular heterogeneity and treatment-induced shifts in phenotypic states of tumor cells, including dedifferentiation into glioma stem-like cells (GSCs). This rare tumorigenic cell subpopulation resists temozolomide, undergoes proneural-to-mesenchymal transition (PMT) to evade therapy, and drives recurrence. Through inference of transcriptional regulatory networks (TRNs) of patient-derived GSCs (PD-GSCs) at single-cell resolution, we demonstrate how the topology of transcription factor interaction networks drives distinct trajectories of cell-state transitions in PD-GSCs resistant or susceptible to cytotoxic drug treatment. By experimentally testing predictions based on TRN simulations, we show that drug treatment drives surviving PD-GSCs along a trajectory of intermediate states, exposing vulnerability to potentiated killing by siRNA or a second drug targeting treatment-induced transcriptional programs governing nongenetic cell plasticity. Our findings demonstrate an approach to uncover TRN topology and use it to rationally predict combinatorial treatments that disrupt acquired resistance in GBM.

PMID:38848360 | DOI:10.1126/sciadv.adj7706

Categories: Literature Watch

Human γδ T cells in diverse tissues exhibit site-specific maturation dynamics across the life span

Fri, 2024-06-07 06:00

Sci Immunol. 2024 Jun 7;9(96):eadn3954. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adn3954. Epub 2024 Jun 7.

ABSTRACT

During ontogeny, γδ T cells emerge from the thymus and directly seed peripheral tissues for in situ immunity. However, their functional role in humans has largely been defined from blood. Here, we analyzed the phenotype, transcriptome, function, and repertoire of human γδ T cells in blood and mucosal and lymphoid tissues from 176 donors across the life span, revealing distinct profiles in children compared with adults. In early life, clonally diverse Vδ1 subsets predominate across blood and tissues, comprising naïve and differentiated effector and tissue repair functions, whereas cytolytic Vδ2 subsets populate blood, spleen, and lungs. With age, Vδ1 and Vδ2 subsets exhibit clonal expansions and elevated cytolytic signatures, which are disseminated across sites. In adults, Vδ2 cells predominate in blood, whereas Vδ1 cells are enriched across tissues and express residency profiles. Thus, antigenic exposures over childhood drive the functional evolution and tissue compartmentalization of γδ T cells, leading to age-dependent roles in immunity.

PMID:38848342 | DOI:10.1126/sciimmunol.adn3954

Categories: Literature Watch

Nonequilibrium hyperuniform states in active turbulence

Fri, 2024-06-07 06:00

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Jun 11;121(24):e2320719121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2320719121. Epub 2024 Jun 7.

ABSTRACT

We demonstrate that the complex spatiotemporal structure in active fluids can feature characteristics of hyperuniformity. Using a hydrodynamic model, we show that the transition from hyperuniformity to nonhyperuniformity and antihyperuniformity depends on the strength of active forcing and can be related to features of active turbulence without and with scaling characteristics of inertial turbulence. Combined with identified signatures of Levy walks and nonuniversal diffusion in these systems, this allows for a biological interpretation and the speculation of nonequilibrium hyperuniform states in active fluids as optimal states with respect to robustness and strategies of evasion and foraging.

PMID:38848299 | DOI:10.1073/pnas.2320719121

Categories: Literature Watch

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