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Abstract
Lactylation, a post-translational modification derived from glycolysis, plays a pivotal role in ischemic heart diseases. Neutrophils are predominantly glycolytic cells that trigger intensive inflammation of myocardial ischemia reperfusion (MI/R). However, whether lactylation regulates neutrophil function during MI/R remains unknown. Employing lactyl proteomics analysis, S100a9 was lactylated at lysine 26 (S100a9K26la) in neutrophils, with elevated levels observed in both acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients and MI/R model mice. S100a9K26la was demonstrated driving the development of MI/R using mutant knock-in mice. Mechanistically, lactylated S100a9 translocated to the nucleus of neutrophils, where it binded to the promoters of migration-related genes, thereby enhancing their transcription as a co-activator and promoting neutrophil migration and cardiac recruitment. Additionally, lactylated S100a9 was released during NETosis, leading to cardiomyocyte death by disrupting mitochondrial function. The enzyme dihydrolipoyllysine-residue acetyltransferase (DLAT) was identified as the lactyltransferase facilitating neutrophil S100a9K26la post-MI/R, a process that could be restrained by α-lipoic acid. Consistently, targeting DLAT/S100a9K26la axis suppressed neutrophil burden and improved cardiac function post-MI/R. In patients with AMI, elevated S100a9K26la levels in plasma were positively correlated with cardiac death. These findings highlight S100a9 lactylation as a potential therapeutic target for MI/R and as a promising biomarker for evaluating poor prognosis of MI/R.
Authors
Xiaoqi Wang, Xiangyu Yan, Ge Mang, Yujia Chen, Shuang Liu, Jiayu Sui, Zhonghua Tong, Penghe Wang, Jingxuan Cui, Qiannan Yang, Yafei Zhang, Dongni Wang, Ping Sun, Weijun Song, Zexi Jin, Ming Shi, Peng Zhao, Jia Yang, Mingyang Liu, Naixin Wang, Tao Chen, Yong Ji, Bo Yu, Maomao Zhang
Abstract
Herein, we describe a shared surface and cell wall protein, Endoglucanase 2 (Eng2), expressed on the etiological agents that cause the endemic systemic mycoses of North America – Blastomyces, Coccidioides and Histoplasma. We demonstrate that despite sequence variation of the protein across these related fungi, exposure to Eng2 vaccinates and protects inbred and humanized HLA-DR4 strains of mice against lethal experimental infections with these fungi by eliciting adaptive immunity mediated by CD4 T cells. We also show that CD4 T cell precursors against Eng2 are detectable in naïve individuals and that patients who have recovered from these infections evince a memory and recall CD4 T cell response to Eng2 and its immunodominant epitopes that we have mapped. We create and catalogue new tools and information such as immunodominant peptide epitopes of Eng2 from each fungus recognized by inbred mice and human subjects and we engineer peptide-MHC II tetramers for tracking T cells in inbred and HLA-DR4 humanized mice that will be useful for those who study these infections in mice and humans. Lastly, because most patients demonstrate memory and recall responses against Eng2, our work offers new tools for diagnosis of this collection of infectious diseases across North America.
Authors
Uju J. Okaa, Cleison Ledesma Taira, Lucas dos Santos Dias, Hannah Dobson, Gregory C. Kujoth, Althea Campuzano, E.Jane Homan, George R. Thompson, Chiung-Yu Hung, George S. Deepe, Marcel Wüthrich, Bruce S. Klein
Abstract
Genetic factors are fundamental in the etiology of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD), but the genetic cause is detected in only about 30% of cases. To define unreported TAAD-associated sequence variants, exome and gene panel sequencing was performed in 323 patients. We identified heterozygous CDKL1 variants [c.427T>C p.(Cys143Arg), c.617C>T p.(Ser206Leu), and c.404C>T p.(Thr135Met)] in 6 patients from 3 families with TAAD-spectrum disorders. CDKL1 encodes a protein kinase involved in ciliary biology. Amino acid substitutions were predicted to affect CDKL1 catalytic activity or protein binding properties. CDKL1 was expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells in normal and diseased human aortic wall tissue. Cdkl1 knockdown and transient knockout in zebrafish resulted in intersomitic vessel (ISV) malformations and aortic dilation. Co-injection of human CDKL1wildtype, but not CDKL1Cys143Arg and CDKL1Ser206Leu RNA, rescued ISV malformations. All variants affected CDKL1 kinase function and profiling data, and altered protein-protein binding properties, particularily with ciliary transport molecules. Expression of CDKL1 variants in heterologeous cells interfered with cilia formation and length, CDKL1 localization, and p38-MAPK and Vegf signaling. Our data suggest a role of CDKL1 variants in the pathogenesis of TAAD-spectrum disorders. The association between primary cilia dysregulation and TAAD expands our knowledge of the underlying molecular pathophysiology.
Authors
Theresa Nauth, Melanie Philipp, Sina Renner, Martin D. Burkhalter, Helke Schüler, Ceren Saygi, Kristian Händler, Bente Siebels, Alice Busch, Thomas Mair, Verena Rickassel, Sophia Deden, Konstantin Hoffer, Jakob Olfe, Thomas S. Mir, Yskert von Kodolitsch, Evaldas Girdauskas, Meike Rybczynski, Malte Kriegs, Hannah Voß, Thomas Sauvigny, Malte Spielmann, Malik Alawi, Susanne Krasemann, Christian Kubisch, Till J. Demal, Georg Rosenberger
Abstract
Chronic pain is a complex clinical problem comprising multiple conditions that may share a common genetic profile. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified many risk loci whose cell-type context remains unclear. Here, we integrated GWAS data on chronic pain (N = 1,235,695) with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from human brain and dorsal root ganglia (hDRG), and single-cell chromatin accessibility data from human brain and mouse dorsal horn. Pain-associated variants were enriched in glutamatergic neurons; mainly in prefrontal cortex, hippocampal CA1-3, and amygdala. In hDRG, the hPEP.TRPV1/A1.2 neuronal subtype showed robust enrichment. Chromatin accessibility analyses revealed variant enrichment in excitatory and inhibitory neocortical neurons in brain and in midventral neurons and oligodendrocyte precursor cells in the mouse dorsal horn. Gene-level heritability in the brain highlighted roles for kinase activity, GABAergic synapses, axon guidance, and neuron projection development. In hDRG, implicated genes related to glutamatergic signaling and neuronal projection. In cervical DRG of patients with acute or chronic pain (N = 12), scRNA-seq data from neuronal or non-neuronal cells were enriched for chronic pain-associated genes (e.g., EFNB2, GABBR1, NCAM1, SCN11A). This cell-type-specific genetic architecture of chronic pain across central and peripheral nervous system circuits provides a foundation for targeted translational research.
Authors
Sylvanus Toikumo, Marc Parisien, Michael J. Leone, Chaitanya Srinivasan, Huasheng Yu, Asta Arendt-Tranholm, Úrzula Franco-Enzástiga, Christoph Hofstetter, Michele Curatolo, Wenqin Luo, Andreas R. Pfenning, Rebecca P. Seal, Rachel L. Kember, Theodore J. Price, Luda Diatchenko, Stephen G. Waxman, Henry R. Kranzler
Abstract
The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) drives radioresistance, but the role of γδ T cells in regulating radiosensitivity remains incompletely understood. In this study, we found that γδ T cell infiltration in the TME substantially increased after radiotherapy and contributed to radioresistance. Depletion of γδ T cells enhanced radiosensitivity. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that γδ T cells in the post-radiotherapy TME were characterized by the expression of Zbtb16, Il23r, and Il17a, and served as the primary source of IL-17A. These γδ T cells promoted radioresistance by recruiting myeloid-derived suppressor cells and suppressing T cell activation. Mechanistically, radiotherapy-induced tumor cell-derived microparticles containing dsDNA activated the cGAS-STING/NF-κB signaling pathway in macrophages, upregulating the expression of the chemokine CCL20, which was critical for γδ T cell recruitment. Targeting γδ T cells and IL-17A enhanced radiosensitivity and improved the efficacy of radiotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, providing potential therapeutic strategies to overcome radioresistance.
Authors
Yue Deng, Xixi Liu, Xiao Yang, Wenwen Wei, Jiacheng Wang, Zheng Yang, Yajie Sun, Yan Hu, Haibo Zhang, Yijun Wang, Zhanjie Zhang, Lu Wen, Fang Huang, Kunyu Yang, Chao Wan
Abstract
Adams-Oliver Syndrome (AOS) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by scalp, limb, and cardiovascular defects. While variants in the NOTCH1 receptor, DLL4 ligand, and RBPJ transcription factor have been implicated in AOS, the driving tissue types and molecular mechanisms by which these variants cause pathogenesis are unknown. Here, we used quantitative binding assays to show that AOS-associated RBPJ missense variants compromise DNA binding but not cofactor binding. These findings suggest that AOS-associated RBPJ variants do not function as loss-of-function alleles but instead act as dominant-negative proteins that sequester cofactors from DNA. Consistent with this idea, mice carrying an AOS-associated Rbpj allele develop dominant phenotypes that include increased lethality and cardiovascular defects in a Notch1 heterozygous background, whereas Notch1 and Rbpj compound heterozygous null alleles are well-tolerated. To facilitate studies into the tissues driving AOS pathogenesis, we employed conditional genetics to isolate the contribution of the vascular endothelium to the development of AOS-like phenotypes. Importantly, our studies show that expression of the Rbpj AOS allele in endothelial cells is both necessary and sufficient to cause lethality and cardiovascular defects. These data establish that reduced Notch1 signaling in the vasculature is a key driver of pathogenesis in this AOS mouse model.
Authors
Alyssa F. Solano, Kristina Preusse, Brittany Cain, Rebecca Hotz, Parthav Gavini, Zhenyu Yuan, Benjamin Bowen, Gabrielle Maco, Hope Neal, Ellen K. Gagliani, Christopher Ahn, Hee-Woong Lim, Laura Southgate, Rhett A. Kovall, Raphael Kopan, Brian Gebelein
Abstract
Impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) is a hallmark of β-cell dysfunction in diabetes. Epigenetic mechanisms govern cellular glucose sensing and GSIS by β-cells, but they remain incompletely defined. Here, we found that BAF60a functions as a chromatin regulator that sustains biphasic GSIS and preserves β-cell function under metabolic stress conditions. BAF60a was downregulated in β-cells from obese and diabetic mice, monkeys, and humans. β-cell-specific inactivation of BAF60a in adult mice impaired GSIS, leading to hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance. Conversely, restoring BAF60a expression improved β-cell function and systemic glucose homeostasis. Mechanistically, BAF60a physically interacted with Nkx6.1 to selectively modulate chromatin accessibility and transcriptional activity of target genes critical for GSIS coupling in islet β-cells. A BAF60a V278M mutation associated with decreased β-cell GSIS function was identified in human subjects. Mice carrying this mutation, which disrupted the interaction between BAF60a and Nkx6.1, displayed β-cell dysfunction and impaired glucose homeostasis. In addition, GLP-1R and GIPR expression was significantly reduced in BAF60a-deficient islets, attenuating the insulinotropic effect of GLP-1R agonists. Together, these findings support a role for BAF60a as a component of the epigenetic machinery that shapes the chromatin landscape in β-cells critical for glucose sensing and insulin secretion.
Authors
Xinyuan Qiu, Ruo-Ran Wang, Qing-Qian Wu, Hongxing Fu, Shuaishuai Zhu, Wei Chen, Wen Wang, Haide Chen, Xiuyu Ji, Wenjing Zhang, Dandan Yan, Jing Yan, Li Jin, Rong Zhang, Mengjie Shi, Ping Luo, Yingqing Yang, Qintao Wang, Ziyin Zhang, Wei Ding, Xiaowen Pan, Chengbin Li, Bin Liang, Guoji Guo, Hai-long Piao, Min Zheng, Yan Sheng, Lingyun Zhu, Cheng Hu, Zhuo-Xian Meng
Abstract
The intratumor microenvironment shapes the metastatic potential of cancer cells and their susceptibility to any immune response. Yet the nature of the signals within the microenvironment that control anti-cancer immunity and how they are regulated is poorly understood. Here, using melanoma as a model, we investigate the involvement in metastatic dissemination and the immune-modulatory microenvironment of Protein S-Acyl Transferases, as an underexplored class of potential therapeutic targets. We find that ZDHHC13, suppresses metastatic dissemination by palmitoylation of CTNND1, leading to stabilization of E-cadherin. Importantly, ZDHHC13 also reshapes the tumor immune microenvironment by suppressing lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) synthesis in melanoma cells, leading to inhibition of M2-like tumor-associated macrophages that we show degrades E-cadherin via MMP12 expression. Consequently, ZDHHC13 activity suppresses tumor growth and metastasis in immunocompetent mice. Our study highlights the therapeutic potential of targeting the ZDHHC13-E-cadherin axis and its downstream metabolic and immune-modulatory mechanisms, offering additional strategies to inhibit melanoma progression and metastasis.
Authors
Hongjin Li, Jianke Lyu, Yu Sun, Chengqian Yin, Yuewen Li, Weiqiang Chen, Suan-Sin Foo, Xianfang Wu, Colin Goding, Shuyang Chen
Abstract
Deficits in the mitochondrial energy-generating machinery cause mitochondrial disease (MD), a group of untreatable and usually fatal disorders. Among many severe symptoms, refractory epileptic events are a common neurological presentation of MD. However, the neuronal substrates and circuits for MD-induced epilepsy remain unclear. Here, using mouse models of Leigh Syndrome, a severe form of MD associated to epilepsy, that lack mitochondrial complex I subunit NDUFS4 in a constitutive or conditional manner, we demonstrate that mitochondrial dysfunction leads to a reduction in the number of GABAergic neurons in the rostral external globus pallidus (GPe), and identify a specific affectation of pallidal Lhx6-expressing inhibitory neurons, contributing to altered GPe excitability. Our findings further reveal that viral vector-mediated Ndufs4 re-expression in the GPe effectively prevents seizures and improves the survival in the models. Additionally, we highlight the subthalamic nucleus (STN) as a critical structure in the neural circuit involved in mitochondrial epilepsy, as its inhibition effectively reduces epileptic events. Thus, we have identified a role for pallido-subthalamic projections in the development of epilepsy in the context of mitochondrial dysfunction. Our results suggest STN inhibition as a potential therapeutic intervention for refractory epilepsy in patients with MD providing promising leads in the quest to identify effective treatments.
Authors
Laura Sánchez-Benito, Melania González-Torres, Irene Fernández-González, Laura Cutando, María Royo, Joan Compte, Miquel Vila, Sandra Jurado, Elisenda Sanz, Albert Quintana
Abstract
Single-cell studies have revealed that intestinal macrophages maintain gut homeostasis through the balanced actions of reactive (inflammatory) and tolerant (non-inflammatory) subpopulations. How such balance is impaired in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), remains unresolved. Here, we define colon-specific macrophage states and reveal the critical role of non-inflammatory colon-associated macrophages (niColAMs) in IBD recovery. Through trans-scale analyses—integrating computational transcriptomics, proteomics, and in vivo interventional studies—we identified GIV (CCDC88A) as a key regulator of niColAMs. GIV emerged as the top-ranked gene in niColAMs that physically and functionally interacts with NOD2, an innate immune sensor implicated in CD and UC. Myeloid-specific GIV depletion exacerbates infectious colitis, prolongs disease, and abolishes the protective effects of the NOD2 ligand, muramyl dipeptide, in colitis and sepsis models. Mechanistically, GIV’s C-terminus binds the terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR#10) of NOD2 and is required for NOD2 to dampen inflammation and clear microbes. The CD-associated 1007fs NOD2-variant, which lacks LRR#10, cannot bind GIV—providing critical insights into how this clinically relevant variant impairs microbial sensing and clearance. These findings illuminate a critical GIV-NOD2 axis essential for gut homeostasis and highlight its disruption as a driver of dysbiosis and inflammation in IBD.
Authors
Gajanan D. Katkar, Mahitha Shree Anandachar, Stella-Rita C. Ibeawuchi, Ella G. McLaren, Megan L. Estanol, Kennith Carpio-Perkins, Shu-Ting Hsu, Celia R. Espinoza, Jane E. Coates, Yashaswat S. Malhotra, Madhubanti Mullick, Vanessa Castillo, Daniella Vo, Saptarshi Sinha, Pradipta Ghosh
Abstract
TMPRSS2:ERG gene fusion (T:E fusion) in prostate adenocarcinoma (PCa) puts ERG under androgen receptor (AR) regulated TMPRSS2 expression. T:E fusion is associated with PTEN loss, and is highly associated with decreased INPP4B expression, which together may compensate for ERG-mediated suppression of AKT signaling. We confirmed in PCa cells and a mouse PCa model that ERG suppresses IRS2 and AKT activation. In contrast, ERG downregulation did not increase INPP4B, suggesting its decrease is indirect and reflects selective pressure to suppress INPP4B function. Notably, INPP4B expression is decreased in PTEN-intact and PTEN-deficient T:E fusion tumors, suggesting selection for a nonredundant function. As ERG in T:E fusion tumors is AR regulated, we further assessed whether AR inhibition increases AKT activity in T:E fusion tumors. A T:E fusion positive PDX had increased AKT activity in vivo and response to AKT inhibition in vitro after androgen deprivation. Moreover, two clinical trials of neoadjuvant AR inhibition prior to radical prostatectomy showed greater increases in AKT activation in the T:E fusion positive versus negative tumors. These findings indicate that AKT activation may mitigate the efficacy of AR targeted therapy in T:E fusion PCa, and that these patients may most benefit from combination therapy targeting AR and AKT.
Authors
Fen Ma, Sen Chen, Luigi Cecchi, Betul Ersoy-Fazlioglu, Joshua W. Russo, Seiji Arai, Seifeldin Awad, Carla Calagua, Fang Xie, Larysa Poluben, Olga Voznesensky, Anson T. Ku, Fatima Karzai, Changmeng Cai, David J. Einstein, Huihui Ye, Xin Yuan, Alex Toker, Mary-Ellen Taplin, Adam G. Sowalsky, Steven P. Balk
Abstract
Immune cells are constantly exposed to microbiota-derived compounds that can engage innate recognition receptors. How this constitutive stimulation is down-modulated to avoid systemic inflammation and auto-immunity is poorly understood. Here we show that Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) deficiency in monocytes unleashes spontaneous cytokine responses in vivo, driven by STING-mediated tonic sensing of microbiota. This effect was specific to monocytes, as mice deficient for AhR specifically in macrophages did not show any dysregulation of tonic cytokine responses. AhR inhibition also increased tonic cytokine production in human monocytes. Finally, in patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, low AhR activity in monocytes correlated with elevated cytokine responses. Our findings evidence an essential role for AhR in monocytes in restraining tonic microbiota sensing and in maintaining immune homeostasis.
Authors
Adeline Cros, Alessandra Rigamonti, Alba de Juan, Alice Coillard, Mathilde Rieux-Laucat, Darawan Tabtim-On, Emeline Papillon, Christel Goudot, Alma-Martina Cepika, Romain Banchereau, Virginia Pascual, Marianne Burbage, Burkhard Becher, Elodie Segura
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a progressive liver disease characterized by complex interactions between lipotoxicity, ER stress responses, and immune-mediated inflammation. We identified enrichment of the proinflammatory alarmin S100 calcium-binding protein A11 (S100A11) on extracellular vesicles stimulated by palmitate-induced lipotoxic ER stress with concomitant upregulation of hepatocellular S100A11 abundance in an IRE1A-XBP1s dependent manner. We next investigated the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate this stress response. Publicly available human liver ChIP-Seq GEO datasets demonstrated a region of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) acetylation upstream to the S100A11 promoter. H3K27acetylation ChIP-qPCR demonstrated a positive correlation between lipotoxic ER stress and H3K27acetylation of the region, which we termed Lipotoxicity Influenced Enhancer (LIE) domain. CRISPR-mediated repression of the LIE domain reduced palmitate-induced H3K27acetylation and corresponding S100A11 upregulation in Huh7 cells and immortalized mouse hepatocytes. Silencing of the murine LIE in two independent steatohepatitis models demonstrated reduced S100a11 upregulation and attenuated liver injury. We confirmed H3K27acetylation and XBP1s occupancy at the LIE domain in human MASH liver samples and an increase in hepatocyte-derived S100A11-enriched extracellular vesicles in MASH patient plasma. Our studies demonstrate a LIE domain which mediates hepatic S100A11 upregulation. This pathway may be a potential therapeutic target in MASH.
Authors
P. Vineeth Daniel, Hanna L. Erickson, Daheui Choi, Feda H. Hamdan, Yasuhiko Nakao, Gyanendra Puri, Takahito Nishihara, Yeriel Yoon, Amy S. Mauer, Debanjali Dasgupta, Jill Thompson, Alexander Revzin, Harmeet Malhi
Abstract
Authors
Bowen Yan, Qingchen Yuan, Marco M. Buttigieg, Prabhjot Kaur, Annalisse R. McKee, Daniil E. Shabashvili, Caitlyn Vlasschaert, Alexander G. Bick, Michael J. Rauh, Olga A. Guryanova
Abstract
Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), encoded by SERPINE1, contributes to age-related cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and other aging-related pathologies. Humans with a heterozygous loss-of-function SERPINE1 variant exhibit protection against aging and cardiometabolic dysfunction. We engineered a mouse model mimicking the human mutation (Serpine1TA700/+) and compared cardiovascular responses with wild-type littermates. Serpine1TA700/+ mice lived 20% longer than littermate controls. Under L-NG-Nitro-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced vascular stress, Serpine1TA700/+ mice exhibited diminished pulse wave velocity (PWV), lower systolic hypertension (SBP), and preserved left ventricular diastolic function compared to controls. Conversely, PAI-1-overexpressing mice exhibited measurements indicating accelerated cardiovascular aging. Single cell transcriptomics of Serpine1TA700/+ aortas revealed a vascular-protective mechanism with downregulation of extracellular matrix regulators Ccn1 and Itgb1. Serpine1TA700/+ aortas were also enriched in a cluster of smooth muscle cells that exhibited plasticity. Finally, PAI-1 pharmacological inhibition normalized SBP and reversed L-NAME-induced PWV elevation. These findings demonstrate that PAI-1 reduction protects against cardiovascular aging-related phenotypes, while PAI-1 excess promotes vascular pathological changes. Taken together, PAI-1 inhibition represents a promising strategy to mitigate age-related CVD.
Authors
Alireza Khoddam, Anthony Kalousdian, Mesut Eren, Saul Soberanes, Andrew Decker, Elizabeth J. Lux, Benjamin W. Zywicki, Brian Dinh, Bedirhan Boztepe, Baljash S. Cheema, Carla M. Cuda, Hiam Abdala-Valencia, Arun Sivakumar, Toshio Miyata, Lisa D. Wilsbacher, Douglas E. Vaughan
Abstract
Teplizumab, a humanized anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, represents a breakthrough in autoimmune type 1 diabetes (T1D) treatment, by delaying clinical onset in stage 2 and slowing progression in early stage 3. However, therapeutic responses are heterogeneous. To better understand this variability, we applied single-cell transcriptomics to paired peripheral blood and pancreas samples from anti-mouse CD3-treated non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice and identified distinct gene signatures associated with therapy outcome, with consistent patterns across compartments. Success-associated signatures were enriched in NK/CD8⁺ T cells and other immune cell types, whereas resistance signatures were predominantly expressed by neutrophils. The immune communities underlying these response signatures were confirmed in human whole-blood sequencing data from the AbATE study at 6 months, which assessed teplizumab therapy in stage 3 T1D. Furthermore, baseline expression profiling in the human TN10 (stage 2) and AbATE (stage 3) cohorts identified immune signatures predictive of therapy response, T cell-enriched signatures in responders and neutrophil-enriched signatures in non-responders, highlighting the roles of both adaptive and innate immunity in determining teplizumab outcome. Using an elastic-net logistic regression model, we developed a 26-gene blood-based signature predicting teplizumab response (AUC = 0.97). These findings demonstrate the predictive potential of immune gene signatures and the value of transcriptomic profiling in guiding individualized treatment strategies with teplizumab in T1D.
Authors
Gabriele Sassi, Pierre Lemaitre, Laia Fernández Calvo, Francesca Lodi, Álvaro Cortés Calabuig, Samal Bissenova, Amber Wouters, Laure Degroote, Marijke Viaene, Niels Vandamme, Lauren Higdon, Peter S. Linsley, S. Alice Long, Chantal Mathieu, Conny Gysemans
Abstract
Regulatory T-cells (Treg) are critical for maintaining immune homeostasis, and their adoptive transfer can treat murine inflammatory disorders. In patients, Treg therapies have been variably efficacious. Therefore, new strategies to enhance Treg therapeutic efficacy are needed. Treg predominantly depend upon oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) for energy and suppressive function. Fatty acid oxidation (FAO) contributes to Treg OXPHOS and can be important for Treg “effector” differentiation, but FAO activity is inhibited by coordinated activity of isoenzymes acetyl-CoA Carboxylase-1 and -2 (ACC1/2). Here, we show that small molecule inhibition or Treg-specific genetic deletion of ACC1 significantly increases Treg suppressive function in vitro and in mice with established chronic GVHD. ACC1 inhibition skewed Treg towards an “effector” phenotype and enhanced FAO-mediated OXPHOS, mitochondrial function, and mitochondrial fusion. Inhibiting mitochondrial fusion diminished the effect of ACC1 inhibition. Reciprocally, promoting mitochondrial fusion, even in the absence of ACC1 modulation, resulted in a Treg functional and metabolic phenotype similar to ACC1 inhibition, indicating a key role for mitochondrial fusion in Treg suppressive potency. Ex vivo expanded, ACC1 inhibitor treated human Treg similarly augmented suppressor function as observed with murine Treg. Together, these data suggest that ACC1 manipulation may be exploited to modulate Treg function in patients.
Authors
Cameron McDonald-Hyman, Ethan G. Aguilar, Ewoud B. Compeer, Michael C. Zaiken, Stephanie Y. Rhee, Fathima A. Mohamed, Jemma H. Larson, Michael L. Loschi, Christopher Lees, Govindarajan Thangavelu, Margaret L. Sleeth, Kyle D. Smith, Jennifer S. Whangbo, Jerome Ritz, Tim D. Sparwasser, Roddy S. O'Connor, Peter A. Crawford, Jeffrey C. Rathmell, Leslie S. Kean, Robert Zeiser, Keli L. Hippen, Michael L. Dustin, Bruce R. Blazar
Abstract
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is characterized by the autoimmune destruction of most insulin-producing β-cells, along with dysregulated glucagon secretion from pancreatic α-cells. We conducted an integrated analysis that combines electrophysiological and transcriptomic profiling, along with machine learning, of islet cells from T1D donors. The few surviving β-cells exhibit altered electrophysiological properties and transcriptomic signatures indicative of increased antigen presentation, metabolic reprogramming, and impaired protein translation. In α-cells, we observed hyper-responsiveness and increased exocytosis, which are associated with upregulated immune signaling, disrupted transcription factor localization and lysosome homeostasis, as well as dysregulation of mTORC1 complex signaling. Notably, key genetic risk signals for T1D were enriched in transcripts related to α-cell dysfunction, including MHC class I, which were closely linked with α-cell dysfunction. Our data provide what we believe are novel insights into the molecular underpinnings of islet cell dysfunction in T1D, highlighting pathways that may be leveraged to preserve residual β-cell function and modulate α-cell activity. These findings underscore the complex interplay between immune signaling, metabolic stress, and cellular identity in shaping islet cell phenotypes in T1D.
Authors
Theodore dos Santos, Xiao-Qing Dai, Robert C. Jones, Aliya F. Spigelman, Hannah M. Mummey, Jessica D. Ewald, Cara E. Ellis, James G. Lyon, Nancy Smith, Austin Bautista, Jocelyn E. Manning Fox, Norma F. Neff, Angela M. Detweiler, Michelle Tan, Rafael Arrojo e Drigo, Jianguo Xia, Joan Camunas-Soler, Kyle J. Gaulton, Stephen R. Quake, Patrick E. MacDonald
Abstract
Genetic factors contributing to hearing loss (HL) are heterogeneous, and effective medical treatments remain limited. We identified three distinct missense variants in CPD, encoding carboxypeptidase D, in five individuals with congenital deafness from three unrelated families, affecting the catalytically active CP-domain2 of this protein. Subsequent analysis of a larger cohort from the 100,000 Genomes Project (100KGP), revealed an enrichment of rare protein-altering CPD variants in individuals with HL. We show that CPD localizes to sensory epithelium and nerve cells in the mouse cochlea, and the enzymatic activity of CPD, crucial for nitric oxide (NO) production through arginine processing, is impaired in affected individuals. The levels of arginine, NO, and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in patient-derived fibroblasts are also decreased, leading to increased oxidative stress and cell death via endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated mechanisms. Silencing of Cpd in organotypic mouse cochlea cultures leads to increased apoptosis. Finally, Drosophila models of CPD deficiency display defective Johnston’s organ, impaired auditory transduction, and sensory and movement abnormalities. Notably, these phenotypes are partially rescued by the supplementation with arginine or sildenafil, a cGMP enhancer. Our findings establish CPD mutations as a cause of congenital HL, highlighting that the NO signaling pathway offers a promising therapeutic avenue.
Authors
Memoona Ramzan, Natalie Ortiz-Vega, Mohammad Faraz Zafeer, Amanda G. Lobato, Tahir Atik, Clemer Abad, Nirmal Vadgama, Duygu Duman, Nazım Bozan, Enise Avcı Durmuşalioǧlu, Sunny Greene, Shengru Guo, Suna Tokgöz-Yılmaz, Merve Koç Yekedüz, Fatma Tuba Eminoğlu, Mehmet Aydın, Serhat Seyhan, Ioannis Karakikes, Vladimir Camarena, Maria Camila Robayo, Tijana Canic, Güney Bademci, Gaofeng Wang, Amjad Farooq, Mei-ling Joiner, Katherina Walz, Daniel F. Eberl, Jamal Nasir, R. Grace Zhai, Mustafa Tekin
Abstract
Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff disease are fatal neurodegenerative diseases without an effective therapy that are caused by mutations in the HEXA and HEXB genes, respectively. Together they encode the heterodimeric isozyme of hexosaminidase (HexA) that degrades GM2 ganglioside. This report describes a 5 year-long study using a bidirectional AAV9 vector (AAV9-Bic_HexA/HexB) encoding both HEXA and HEXB in the Tay-Sachs sheep model. Bidirectional AAV9 was delivered intravenously or through various cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) delivery routes: intracerebroventricular (ICV), cisterna magna (CM) and lumbar delivery (LIT). The longest survival and best distribution were achieved by multipoint CSF delivery (combined CM, ICV and LIT) with treated animals survived up to 5 years of age (untreated Tay-Sachs animals die ~9 months). Extension in survival was accompanied by lasting improvement in neurological examination and maze testing. Improvement in biomarkers of efficacy including MRI, MR spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging as well as CSF levels of GM2 ganglioside and hexosaminidase A (HexA) activity was evident. Post-mortem assessments showed broad HexA distribution, GM2 ganglioside clearance and vector genome distribution, especially in deep brain structures. Therapeutic efficacy documented in this study supports translation of bidirectional vector and multipoint CSF delivery to a clinical trial in Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff disease patients.
Authors
Toloo Taghian, Jillian Gallagher, Stephanie Bertrand, William C. Baker, Kalajan Lopez Mercado, Hector R. Benatti, Erin Hall, Yvette Lopez, Abigail McElroy, John T. McCarthy, Sanjana Pulaparthi, Deborah Fernau, Samuel Mather, Sophia Esteves, Elise Diffie, Amanda Gross, Hannah G. Lahey, Xuntian Jiang, Elizabeth Parsley, Rachael Gately, Rachel Prestigiacomo, Siauna Johnson, Amanda Taylor, Lindsey Bierfeldt, Susan Tuominen, Jennifer Koehler, Guangping Gao, Jun Xie, Qin Su, Robert King, Matthew J. Gounis, Vania Anagnostakou, Ajit Puri, Ana Rita Batista, Miguel Sena-Esteves, Douglas R. Martin, Heather Gray-Edwards
Copyright © 2025 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)