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Sustained,indolent immune injury of the vasculature of a heart transplant limits long-term graft and recipient survival. This injury is mitigated by a poorly characterized,maladaptive repair response. Vascular endothelial cells respond to proangiogenic cues in the embryo by differentiation to specialized phenotypes,associated with expression of apelin. In the adult,the role of developmental proangiogenic cues in repair of the established vasculature is largely unknown. We found that human and minor histocompatibility-mismatched donor mouse heart allografts with alloimmune-mediated vasculopathy upregulated expression of apelin in arteries and myocardial microvessels. In vivo,loss of donor heart expression of apelin facilitated graft immune cell infiltration,blunted vascular repair,and worsened occlusive vasculopathy in mice. In vitro,an apelin receptor agonist analog elicited endothelial nitric oxide synthase activation to promote endothelial monolayer wound repair and reduce immune cell adhesion. Thus,apelin acted as an autocrine growth cue to sustain vascular repair and mitigate the effects of immune injury. Treatment with an apelin receptor agonist after vasculopathy was established markedly reduced progression of arterial occlusion in mice. Together,these initial data identify proangiogenic apelin as a key mediator of coronary vascular repair and a pharmacotherapeutic target for immune-mediated injury of the coronary vasculature. View Publication

Peripheral serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine: 5-HT) synthesized in the intestine by enterochromaffin cells (ECs),plays an important role in the regulation of peristaltic of the gut,epithelial secretion and promotes the development and maintenance of the enteric neurons. Recent studies showed that the indigenous gut microbiota modulates 5-HT signalling and that ECs use sensory receptors to detect dietary and microbiota-derived signals from the lumen to subsequently transduce the information to the nervous system. We hypothesized that Clostridium ramosum by increasing gut 5-HT availability consequently contributes to high-fat diet-induced obesity. Using germ-free mice and mice monoassociated with C. ramosum,intestinal cell lines and mouse organoids,we demonstrated that bacterial cell components stimulate host 5-HT secretion and program the differentiation of colonic intestinal stem progenitors toward the secretory 5-HT-producing lineage. An elevated 5-HT level regulates the expression of major proteins involved in intestinal fatty acid absorption in vitro,suggesting that the presence of C. ramosum in the gut promotes 5-HT secretion and thereby could facilitates intestinal lipid absorption and the development of obesity. View Publication

Apoptosis and autophagy are dynamic processes that determine the fate of cells. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) deficiency in the intestine leads to abnormal Paneth cells and impaired autophagy function. Here,we will elucidate the mechanisms of the intestinal epithelial VDR regulation of autophagy and apoptosis. We used in vivo VDRlox and VDR∆IEC mice and ex vivo organoids generated from small intestine and colon tissues. We found that VDR deficiency induced more apoptotic cells and significantly increased cell death in the small intestine and colon of VDR∆IEC mice. The proapoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) associated X protein (Bax) was enhanced,whereas autophagy related 16 like 1 (ATG16L1) and Beclin-1 were decreased in the intestines of VDR$\Delta$IEC mice. Apoptosis induced by Bax reduced autophagy by decreasing Beclin-1. Physical interactions between Beclin-1 and Bcl-2 were increased in the VDR-deficient epithelia from mice. The growth of VDR∆IEC organoids was significantly slower with fewer Paneth cells than that of VDR+/+ organoids. The expression levels of Beclin-1 and lysozyme were decreased in VDR∆IEC organoids. Bacterial endotoxin levels were high in the serum from VDR∆IEC mice and made mice susceptible to colitis. In the organoids and colitis IL-10-/- mice,vitamin D3 treatment increased VDR and ATG16L1 protein expression levels,which activated autophagic responses. In summary,intestinal epithelial VDR regulates autophagy and apoptosis through ATG16L1 and Beclin-1. Our studies provide fundamental insights into the tissue-specific function of VDR in modulating the balance between autophagy and apoptosis.-Lu,R.,Zhang,Y.-G.,Xia,Y.,Sun,J. Imbalance of autophagy and apoptosis in intestinal epithelium lacking the vitamin D receptor. View Publication

BACKGROUND MiR-199a-3p (miR-199a) can enhance the chemosensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Because of the easy degradation of miRNA by direct infusion,effective vehicle-mediated delivery of miR-199a may represent a new strategy for improving HCC chemotherapy. Considering mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes as promising natural nanovectors for drug and molecule delivery,we aimed to determine whether exosomes from adipose tissue-derived MSCs (AMSCs) could be used to deliver miR-199a and improve HCC chemosensitivity. METHODS MiR-199a-modified AMSCs (AMSC-199a) were constructed by miR-199a lentivirus infection and puromycin selection. MiR-199-modified exosomes (AMSC-Exo-199a) were isolated from the supernatant of AMSC-199a and were assessed by transmission electron microscopy,nanoparticle tracking analysis,and flow cytometry analysis. The expression levels of miR-199a in HCC samples,AMSCs,exosomes,and HCC cells were quantified by real-time PCR. The effects of AMSC-Exo-199a on HCC chemosensitivity were determined by cell proliferation and apoptosis assays and by i.v. injection into orthotopic HCC mouse models with doxorubicin treatment. MTOR,p-4EBP1 and p-70S6K levels in HCC cells and tissues were quantified by Western blot. RESULTS AMSC-Exo-199a had the classic characteristics of exosomes and could effectively mediate miR-199a delivery to HCC cells. Additionally,AMSC-Exo-199a significantly sensitized HCC cells to doxorubicin by targeting mTOR and subsequently inhibiting the mTOR pathway. Moreover,i.v.-injected AMSC-Exo-199a could distribute to tumor tissue and markedly increased the effect of Dox against HCC in vivo. CONCLUSIONS AMSC-Exo-199a can be an effective vehicle for miR-199a delivery,and they effectively sensitized HCC to chemotherapeutic agents by targeting mTOR pathway. AMSC-Exo-199a administration may provide a new strategy for improving HCC chemosensitivity. View Publication

The gut microbiome contributes to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD),in which bacteria can be present within the epithelium. Epithelial barrier function is decreased in IBD,and dysfunctional epithelial mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress have been individually associated with IBD. We therefore hypothesized that the combination of ER and mitochondrial stresses significantly disrupt epithelial barrier function. Here,we treated human colonic biopsies,epithelial colonoids,and epithelial cells with an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation,dinitrophenol (DNP),with or without the ER stressor tunicamycin and assessed epithelial barrier function by monitoring internalization and translocation of commensal bacteria. We also examined barrier function and colitis in mice exposed to dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) or DNP and co-treated with DAPK6,an inhibitor of death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1). Contrary to our hypothesis,induction of ER stress (i.e. the unfolded protein response) protected against decreased barrier function caused by the disruption of mitochondrial function. ER stress did not prevent DNP-driven uptake of bacteria; rather,specific mobilization of the ATF6 arm of ER stress and recruitment of DAPK1 resulted in enhanced autophagic killing (xenophagy) of bacteria. Of note,epithelia with a Crohn's disease-susceptibility mutation in the autophagy gene ATG16L1 exhibited less xenophagy. Systemic delivery of the DAPK1 inhibitor DAPK6 increased bacterial translocation in DSS- or DNP-treated mice. We conclude that promoting ER stress-ATF6-DAPK1 signaling in transporting enterocytes counters the transcellular passage of bacteria evoked by dysfunctional mitochondria,thereby reducing the potential for metabolic stress to reactivate or perpetuate inflammation. View Publication

Autoimmune diseases are a physiological state wherein immune responses are directed against and damage the body's own tissues. Cytokines secreted by infiltrated inflammatory cells contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. TIPE2,one of the four family members of Tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ induced protein-8 (TNFAIP8),is a negative regulator of innate and adaptive immunity and plays essential roles in the maintenance of immune tolerance. However,studies on the role of TIPE2 during the development of autoimmune diseases have generated contradictory results. In the current study,we sought to determine the role of TIPE2 during the development of IMQ-induced psoriasis and Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis (EAU) in mice. Our study revealed that,while TIPE2-deficiency alleviates psoriasis,it exacerbates the development of EAU. Further studies demonstrated that,although TIPE2-deficient T cells produced more IL-17A,they do not migrate efficiently to the local inflammatory site,i.e.,the skin. This in turn led to the decreased IL-17A production in the skin and consequently reduced the severity of psoriasis in TIPE2-deficient mice. However,although TIPE2-deficient T cells still produced more IL-17A in EAU model,they migrate into the inflamed eye as efficient as TIPE2-sufficient T cells,and consequently exacerbates the development of EAU in TIPE2-deficient mice. Taken together,these results indicate that TIPE2 may either promote or suppress autoimmunity depending on the specific inflammatory microenvironment in different types of autoimmune diseases. View Publication

Cytotoxic chemotherapies could cause the dysregulation of hematopoiesis and even put patients at increased risk of hematopoietic malignancy. Therapy-related leukemia is mainly caused by cytotoxic chemotherapy-induced genetic mutations in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). In addition to the intrinsic mechanism,some extrinsic events occurring in the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment are also possible mechanisms involved in genetic alteration. In the present study,we investigated the damage to BM stromal cells induced by a chemotherapy drug,daunorubicin (DNR) and further identified the DNA damage in hematopoietic cells caused by drug-treated stromal cells. It was found that treatment with DNR in mice caused a temporary reduction in cell number in each BM stromal cell subpopulation and the impairment of clonal growth potential in BM stromal cells. DNR treatment led to a tendency of senescence,generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species,production of cytokines and chemokines,and dysfunction of mitochondrial in stromal cells. Transcriptome microarray data and gene ontology (GO) or gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that differentially expressed genes that were down-regulated in response to DNR treatment were significantly enriched in mitochondrion function,and negative regulators of reactive oxygen species. Surprisingly,it was found that DNR-treated stromal cells secreted high levels of H2O2 into the culture supernatant. Furthermore,coculture of hematopoietic cells with DNR-treated stromal cells led to the accumulation of DNA damage as determined by the levels of histone H2AX phosphorylation and 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine in hematopoietic cells. Overall,our results suggest that DNR-induced BM stromal cell damage can lead to genomic instability in hematopoietic cells. View Publication

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most debilitating injuries,and transplantation of stem cells in a scaffold is a promising strategy for treatment. However,stem cell treatment of SCI has been severely impaired by the increased generation of reactive oxygen species in the lesion microenvironment,which can lead to a high level of stem cell death and dysfunction. Herein,a MnO2 nanoparticle (NP)-dotted hydrogel is prepared through dispersion of MnO2 NPs in a PPFLMLLKGSTR peptide modified hyaluronic acid hydrogel. The peptide-modified hydrogel enables the adhesive growth of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and nerve tissue bridging. The MnO2 NPs alleviate the oxidative environment,thereby effectively improving the viability of MSCs. Transplantation of MSCs in the multifunctional gel generates a significant motor function restoration on a long-span rat spinal cord transection model and induces an in vivo integration as well as neural differentiation of the implanted MSCs,leading to a highly efficient regeneration of central nervous spinal cord tissue. Therefore,the MnO2 NP-dotted hydrogel represents a promising strategy for stem-cell-based therapies of central nervous system diseases through the comprehensive regulation of pathological microenvironment complications. View Publication

Reduced serum testosterone (T),or hypogonadism,affects millions of men and is associated with many pathologies,including infertility,cardiovascular diseases,metabolic syndrome,and decreased libido and sexual function. Administering T-replacement therapy (TRT) reverses many of the symptoms associated with low T levels. However,TRT is linked to side effects such as infertility and increased risk of prostate cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Thus,there is a need to obtain T-producing cells that could be used to treat hypogonadism via transplantation and reestablishment of T-producing cell lineages in the body. T is synthesized by Leydig cells (LCs),proposed to derive from mesenchymal cells of mesonephric origin. Although mesenchymal cells have been successfully induced into LCs,the limited source and possible trauma to donors hinders their application to clinical therapies. Alternatively,human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs),which are expandable in culture and have the potential to differentiate into all somatic cell types,have become the emerging source of autologous cell therapies. We have successfully induced the differentiation of hiPSCs into either human Leydig-like (hLLCs) or adrenal-like cells (hALCs) using chemically defined culture conditions. Factors critical for the development of LCs were added to both culture systems. hLLCs expressed all steroidogenic genes and proteins important for T biosynthesis,synthesized T rather than cortisol,secreted steroid hormones in response to dibutyryl-cAMP and 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol,and displayed ultrastructural features resembling LCs. By contrast,hALCs synthesized cortisol rather than T. The success in generating hiPSC-derived hLLCs with broad human LC (hLC) features supports the potential for hiPSC-based hLC regeneration. View Publication

Bone loss in postmenopausal osteoporosis is induced chiefly by an imbalance of bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts. Salubrinal is a synthetic compound that inhibits de-phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2$\alpha$). Phosphorylation of eIF2$\alpha$ alleviates endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress,which may activate autophagy. We hypothesized that eIF2$\alpha$ signaling regulates bone homeostasis by promoting autophagy in osteoblasts and inhibiting osteoclast development. To test the hypothesis,we employed salubrinal to elevate the phosphorylation of eIF2$\alpha$ in an ovariectomized (OVX) mouse model and cell cultures. In the OVX model,salubrinal prevented abnormal expansion of rough ER and decreased the number of acidic vesiculars. It regulated ER stress-associated signaling molecules such as Bip,p-eIF2$\alpha$,ATF4 and CHOP,and promoted autophagy of osteoblasts via regulation of eIF2$\alpha$,Atg7,LC3,and p62. Salubrinal markedly alleviated OVX-induced symptoms such as reduction of bone mineral density and bone volume fraction. In primary bone-marrow-derived cells,salubrinal increased the differentiation of osteoblasts,and decreased the formation of osteoclasts by inhibiting nuclear factor of activated T-cells cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1). Live cell imaging and RNA interference demonstrated that suppression of osteoclastogenesis is in part mediated by Rac1 GTPase. Collectively,this study demonstrates that ER stress-autophagy axis plays an important role in OVX mice. Bone-forming osteoblasts are restored by maintaining phosphorylation of eIF2$\alpha$,and bone-resorbing osteoclasts are regulated by inhibiting NFATc1 and Rac1 GTPase. View Publication

Glucocorticoids (GCs) play an important role in controlling acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD),a frequent complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The anti-inflammatory activity of GCs is mainly ascribed to the modulation of T cells and macrophages,for which reason a genetically induced GC resistance of either of these cell types causes aggravated aGvHD. Since only a few genes are currently known that are differentially regulated under these conditions,we analyzed the expression of 54 candidate genes in the inflamed small intestine of mice suffering from aGvHD when either allogeneic T cells or host myeloid cells were GC resistant using a microfluidic dynamic array platform for high-throughput quantitative PCR. The majority of genes categorized as cytokines (e.g. Il2,Il6),chemokines (e.g. Ccl2,Cxcl1),cell surface receptors (e.g. Fasl,Ctla4) and intracellular molecules (e.g. Dusp1,Arg1) were upregulated in mice transplanted with GC resistant allogeneic T cells. Moreover,the expression of several genes linked to energy metabolism (e.g. Glut1) was altered. Surprisingly,mice harboring GC resistant myeloid cells showed almost no changes in gene expression despite their fatal disease course after aGvHD induction. To identify additional genes in the inflamed small intestine that were affected by a GC resistance of allogeneic T cells,we performed an RNAseq analysis,which uncovered more than 500 differentially expressed transcripts (e.g. Cxcr6,Glut3,Otc,Aoc1,Il1r1,Sphk1) that were enriched for biological processes associated with inflammation and tissue disassembly. The changes in gene expression could be confirmed during full-blown disease but hardly any of them in the preclinical phase using high-throughput quantitative PCR. Further analysis of some of these genes revealed a highly selective expression pattern in T cells,intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages,which correlated with their regulation during disease progression. Collectively,we identified an altered gene expression profile caused by GC resistance of transplanted allogeneic T cells,which could help to define new targets for aGvHD therapy. View Publication

BACKGROUND Vitamin D deficiency is associated with intestinal barrier dysfunction,which contributes to pathogenesis of acute intestinal injury in children. We aim to investigate the effects of vitamin D on intestinal injury in intestinal epithelial cells and organoids. METHODS Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce injury in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-18) and organoids,and the effect of vitamin D was assessed. Cell viability was measured and inflammation cytokines TNF$\alpha$ and IL-8 were quantified. FITC-dextran 4 kDa (FD4) permeability was measured using Transwell while tight junction markers were assessed by immunofluorescence staining in IEC-18 and intestinal organoids. Data were compared using one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post-test. RESULTS IEC-18 viability was decreased by LPS treatment,but was prevented by vitamin D. The upregulation of inflammation was inhibited by vitamin D,which also decreased epithelium permeability. Vitamin D restored tight junction ZO-1 and claudin 2. In addition,vitamin D decreased TNF$\alpha$ expression and prevented the disruption of ZO-1 in injured organoids. CONCLUSIONS Vitamin D rescued epithelial barrier function by improving permeability and restoring tight junctions,leading to decrease inflammation. This study confirms the protective effects of vitamin D,which could be used as a treatment strategy for infants at risk of developing intestinal injury. View Publication