技术资料

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematological malignancy,characterized by a clonal expansion of malignant plasma cells in bone marrow. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is the premalignant condition of MM. The tumor microenvironment is thought to influence the progression from premalignant conditions. Myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are a heterogenous group of different cellular subsets with myeloid origin,characterized by their ability to inhibit T‐cell responses. MDSC are thought to play an important immunoregulatory role in different diseases,and in many cancers their levels seem to correlate with a poor prognosis. There are three different subsets,the neutrophil‐like polymorphonuclear (PMN)‐MDSC,the monocyte‐like (M)‐MDSC,and the immature early (e)MDSC. In this study,we investigate the levels and functions of all MDSC subsets in the bone marrow of both MGUS and MM patients and compare it to blood MDSC. We found that MDSC levels are not increased in neither the blood nor bone marrow of MGUS or MM patients,and they lack strong T‐cell suppressive abilities. Blood PMN‐MDSC seems to have a small inhibitory effect,but mature neutrophils were more suppressive. Interestingly,eMDSC levels were decreased in the blood of MM patients. Our data indicate that MDSC are not key players in the pathogenesis of MM,but that mature neutrophils may be more important as they have a stronger immunoregulatory effect. View Publication

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) represents a major challenge in liver transplantation,driving acute dysfunction and contributing to long-term allograft rejection. This process triggers a robust inflammatory response,leading to hepatocyte damage,senescence,and impaired liver regeneration. While the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood,increasing evidence highlights macrophage-derived signaling as a pivotal driver of hepatocyte fate during IRI. Here,we identify iRhom2 as a key regulator of immune-mediated liver injury,orchestrating macrophage-driven inflammation and hepatocyte senescence. iRhom2 is known to modulate the secretion of multiple cytokines by macrophages,yet its specific contribution to IRI-driven hepatocyte senescence has not been fully elucidated. We reveal a significant upregulation of iRhom2 in IRI+ reperfused allografts,particularly in Kupffer cells and monocyte-derived macrophages. Functional characterization in iRhom2-deficient macrophages revealed reduced ER stress,preserved mitochondrial function,and attenuated apoptosis,indicating a protective role against IRI-induced cellular damage. Proteomic profiling further uncovers iRhom2-dependent secretion of inflammatory mediators,with HMGB1 emerging as a critical damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) molecule in this context. Notably,HMGB1 release occurs independently of TACE catalytic activity,suggesting an alternative unexplored regulatory mechanism. Furthermore,co-culture experiments confirm that macrophage-derived HMGB1 directly induces senescence of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes (hiPSC-Heps) under in vitro IRI condition,driving the up-regulation of key senescence markers and disrupting cell cycle dynamics. Strikingly,HMGB1 neutralization enhances hepatocyte viability and mitigates senescence,underscoring its pathogenic role. Additionally,HMGB1 knockdown in macrophages protects hepatocytes,though p21 expression remains unaffected,hinting at additional senescence pathways. Our findings establish iRhom2 as a central orchestrator of macrophage-driven hepatocyte dysfunction in IRI and suggest that targeting the iRhom2-HMGB1 axis could represent a promising therapeutic strategy to improve post-transplant liver recovery and long-term graft survival. View Publication

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is an oncogenic virus that causes Kaposi sarcoma,primary effusion lymphoma and multicentric Castleman disease. A vaccine that prevents KSHV infection or serves in the treatment of KSHV-related diseases represents a critical unmet need,however,the types of immune responses a vaccine should elicit have not been well defined. The gH/gL glycoprotein complex is an important target of KSHV-neutralizing antibodies,but the epitope specificities targeted by these antibodies remain unknown. Here,we isolated 12 gH/gL-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from KSHV-infected donors and performed structure/function analyses. These mAbs bind recombinant gH/gL with nanomolar affinities and epitope binning analyses revealed that the mAbs bind to 5 epitope clusters on gH/gL. Seven mAbs were able to neutralize KSHV infection of epithelial cell lines. Two potent neutralizing mAbs mapped to the EphA2 binding site as determined by inhibition of the receptor-ligand interaction and negative stain electron microscopy (nsEM) of the mAb/gH/gL complex. The epitopes of other neutralizing mAbs targeting novel sites of vulnerability were determined by a combination of cryogenic electron microscopy and nsEM. Together,these mAbs help to define the relevant epitope targets for KSHV vaccine design,have utility in understanding the role of antibodies in preventing KSHV infection,enable the development of immunotherapy approaches,and provide valuable tools to understand the molecular details of the KSHV entry process. Author summaryKSHV is an oncogenic virus that can cause cancer in infected individuals. The virus is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and in men who have sex with men. It is possible this virus could be prevented with an effective vaccine,however,the immune response to this virus has not been well defined. gH/gL,a protein essential for viral fusion,plays an important role in infection and could be a possible vaccine target. To better understand the antibody response to this protein,we sought to isolate and characterize monoclonal antibodies that can bind gH/gL and neutralize viral infection. In this study,we isolate and characterize twelve monoclonal antibodies that could bind to five different regions of the gH/gL protein. Seven of these antibodies can neutralize infection,with two being able to block the gH/gL EphA2 receptor-ligand interaction. View Publication

Background: The pathology of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is characterized by aggregates of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides and neurofibrillary tau tangles. Increased blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and reduced Aβ clearance,which signal neurovascular dysfunction,have also been proposed as early markers of AD. Despite intense scrutiny,the mechanisms of AD remain elusive and novel treatments that address core symptoms of dementia are limited. New alternative methods (NAMs) aim to develop in-vitro translational models that recapitulate human pathology more accurately than previous models and could contribute to the development of new therapies. Methods: Here,we developed a NAM model of the cortical neurovascular unit (NVU) using brain cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a patient with AD and a healthy individual. Differentiated neurons,astrocytes,pericytes,microglia,and brain-like microvascular endothelial cells were cultured in a microphysiological system to create a brain-chip model to evaluate NVU-related endpoints. Results: Compared to control,AD brain-chips had reduced claudin-5 and ZO-1 expression and increased paracellular permeability. AD brain-chips also had decreased activity of the efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp),but its expression was unchanged. In AD brain-chips,levels of Aβ42,total tau,and p-tau 181 were decreased in protein lysates from the brain channel,while levels of total tau and p-tau 181 were increased in protein lysates from the vascular channel. Finally,AD brain-chips had increased levels of the proinflammatory markers IL-6 and MCP-1 in effluent from both brain and vascular channels. Conclusion: In this brain-chip model,we showed Aβ-independent NVU dysfunction that was related to neuroinflammation and vascular tau accumulation. This study demonstrates the utility of the brain-chip model to evaluate changes in NVU functions induced by AD-like pathology and highlights donor-specific responses associated with the use of hiPSC-derived models. View Publication

Purpose: Current lung cancer organoid models often fail to replicate the complex tumor immune microenvironment,reducing their predictive value for immunotherapy and radiotherapy. Therefore,it is crucial to establish an optimized lung cancer organoid model which could recapitulate the tumor immune microenvironment,enabling more accurate evaluation of therapeutic responses. Methods: We developed an optimized air-liquid interface (ALI) culture method to generate patient-derived lung cancer organoids (ALI-LUOs) from 19 lung cancer samples. The tumor microenvironment,including immune and stromal components,was characterized using immunofluorescence,flow cytometry,and single-cell RNA sequencing. The organoids were further used to assess responses to αPD-1 therapy and radiotherapy. Results: The optimized method significantly improved organoid formation efficiency while preserving immune cell viability for up to 30 days. Immune and fibroblast populations were confirmed by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Single-cell RNA sequencing demonstrated that ALI-LUOs accurately replicate the tumor immune landscape. Key tumor immunity pathways such as cGAS-STING could be captured by ALI-LUOs. Importantly,ALI-LUOs modeled clinical responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors and radiotherapy with high fidelity. Conclusions: The ALI-LUOs,developed through an optimized culture method,faithfully capture the key characteristics of lung cancer,including its immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Our findings highlight this modified ALI-LUOs as a valuable preclinical platform for evaluating antitumor immunity and refining lung cancer treatments. View Publication

BACKGROUND: The discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells revolutionized regenerative medicine,providing a source for generating induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs). AIM: To evaluate and compare five iMSC differentiation protocols,assessing their efficiency,phenotypic characteristics,and functional properties relative to primary mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). METHODS: Five iMSC differentiation protocols were assessed: SB431542-based differentiation (iMSC1,iMSC3),an iMatrix-free method (iMSC2),growth factor supplementation (iMSC4),and embryoid body formation with retinoic acid (EB-iMSC). iMSC identity was confirmed according to the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy 2006 criteria,requiring expression of surface markers (CD105,CD73,CD90) and absence of pluripotency markers. Functional assays were conducted to evaluate differentiation potential (osteogenic and adipogenic),proliferation,mitochondrial function,reactive oxygen species,senescence,and migration. RESULTS: All iMSC types expressed MSC markers and lacked pluripotency markers. EB-iMSC and iMSC2 showed enhanced osteogenesis (runt-related transcription factor 2; P ≤ 0.01 and P ≤ 0.0001,respectively),while adipogenic potential was reduced in iMSC2 (Adipsin; P ≤ 0.01) and EB-iMSC (Adipsin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma; P ≤ 0.0001 and P ≤ 0.01,respectively). Proliferation was comparable or superior to bone marrow MSCs,except in iMSC1,with iMSC4 showing the highest rate (MTT assay; P values ranged from 0.01 to 0.001). Despite reduced mitochondrial health in iMSC3 and iMSC4 (P ≤ 0.001),reactive oxygen species levels were lower in all iMSCs (P values ranged from 0.001 to 0.0001),and senescence was significantly reduced in all iMSCs with the exception of iMSC1 (P values ranged from 0.01 to 0.0001). Migration was most reduced in iMSC4 (P ≤ 0.001 at 24 hours and P ≤ 0.0001 at 48 hours). CONCLUSION: While all protocols generated functional iMSCs,variations in differentiation,proliferation,and function emphasize the impact of protocol selection. These findings contribute to optimizing iMSC generation for research and clinical applications. View Publication

Palmitic acid (PA) is the most common dietary saturated fatty acid,and is abundant in palm and cottonseed oil,butter,and cheese,whereas oleic acid (OA) is a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid found in olive oil. The differences in the cytotoxic and pro-inflammatory effects of PA and OA across endothelial cells (ECs) isolated from different vascular beds have not been investigated in detail. Here,we incubated primary human aortic valve (HAVEC),saphenous vein (HSaVEC),internal thoracic artery (HITAEC),and microvascular (HMVEC) ECs with albumin-bound PA or OA for 24 h and found that PA induced a considerable cytotoxic response,accompanied by an elevated expression of the genes encoding cell adhesion molecules (VCAM1,ICAM1,SELE,and SELP) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (MIF,PTX3,CSF2,CSF3,IL1A,IL6,CCL2,CCL5,CCL20,CSF2,CSF3,CXCL1,CXCL2,CXCL3,CXCL5,CXCL6,CXCL8,and CXCL10),followed by an increased release of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8. HAVEC and HSaVEC were more susceptible to PA,whereas OA had mild-to-moderate cytotoxic effects on HAVEC and HMVEC but did not induce generalized EC activation. Compared with other EC types,HITAEC was the most resistant to PA and OA treatment. Collectively,these results indicate considerable heterogeneity across the ECs of distinct origin in response to PA. View Publication

CD8+ T cells are an important weapon in the therapeutic armamentarium against cancer. While CD8+CD103+ T cells with a tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cell phenotype are associated with favorable prognoses,the tumor microenvironment also contains dysfunctional exhausted T (TEX) cells that exhibit a variety of TRM-like features. Here we deconvolute TRM and TEX cells across human cancers,ascribing markers and gene signatures that distinguish these populations and enable their functional distinction. Although TRM cells have superior functionality and are associated with long-term survival post-tumor resection,they are not associated with responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade. Tumor-associated TEX and TRM cells are clonally distinct,with the latter comprising tumor-independent bystanders and tumor-specific cells segregated from cognate antigen. Intratumoral TRM cells can be forced toward an exhausted fate when chronic antigen stimulation occurs,indicating that the presence or absence of continuous antigen exposure within the microenvironment is the key distinction between tumor-associated TEX and TRM populations. These results highlight unique functions for TRM and TEX cells in tumor control,underscoring the need for distinct strategies to harness these populations for cancer therapies. Here the authors show that tissue-resident memory and exhausted T cells in tumors are distinct populations that are shaped by relative presence or absence of TCR signals,suggesting that a tailored therapeutic strategy is needed to target each subset. View Publication

Propofol is a commonly used anesthetic for sedation during surgery. This drug is reported to exhibit nonanaesthetic immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. Herein,we investigated the impact of topical propofol delivery with the aim of mitigating psoriatic inflammation. The antipsoriatic potency of propofol was evaluated in a cell-based study in which keratinocytes,macrophages,and neutrophils were used as models. A significant reduction in the proinflammatory effectors interleukin (IL)-6,IL-8,and CXC motif chemokine ligand (CXCL)1 was found in activated keratinocytes (HaCaT) treated with propofol. This reduction could enable baseline control. Immunoblotting suggested that the antioxidant enzymes nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf)2 and heme oxygenase (HO)-1 were involved in the protective effect of propofol on keratinocyte stimulation. The increase in Nrf2 and HO-1 was mediated by kelch-like ECH-associated protein (KEAP)1 downregulation. Propofol presented scavenging activity and decreased 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) by 47%. The downregulation of cytokines/chemokines in activated macrophages (differentiated THP-1) and mouse neutrophils was also found after propofol treatment. Macrophage migration triggered by the conditioned medium of activated keratinocytes could be blocked with the intervention of propofol. The absorption level of propofol (3 mM) into intact pig skin was 1.2 nmol/mg. Skin deposition was increased to 3.7 nmol/mg after SC lipid removal to mimic psoriasiform skin. In silico molecular docking demonstrated the facile interaction of propofol with ceramides in the stratum corneum (SC). The treatment of imiquimod (IMQ)-sensitized mice with topical propofol suppressed erythema,acanthosis,and macrophage/neutrophil infiltration. Propofol also dramatically decreased cytokine/chemokine levels and epidermal thickness in the lesion. In summary,propofol exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to treat psoriasiform lesions. Topical propofol delivery is useful as an ideal route to accomplish antipsoriatic therapy and avoid systemic effects. View Publication

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive malignancy that is often refractory to chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors. This therapeutic resistance is driven in part by the persistence of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) and the development of an immune-cold tumor microenvironment. However,the upstream regulators that coordinate these malignant features remain poorly defined. In this study,we identified dysadherin as a novel upstream activator of YAP that promotes both CSC plasticity and immune evasion through the FAK/YAP/TEAD2 signaling axis. Using single-cell transcriptomic analysis,in vitro assays,and multiple in vivo models including a humanized immune mouse system,we showed that dysadherin enhances the expression of pluripotency genes,such as OCT4 and upregulates PD-L1. These changes support stem-like tumor behavior and contribute to T-cell exclusion,fostering an immunosuppressive niche. Notably,genetic knockdown or peptide-based pharmacologic inhibition of dysadherin effectively restored antitumor immune activation,suppressed metastasis and improved therapeutic responsiveness. Our findings reveal a mechanistic link between dysadherin-mediated cell adhesion signaling and the transcriptional regulation of both stemness and immune escape. Collectively,these findings establish the dysadherin/YAP axis as a key driver of HCC progression and resistance,and highlight it as a compelling therapeutic target that could overcome treatment failure in advanced liver cancer. View Publication

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology is complex and involves mitochondrial dysfunction. There are emerging therapies targeting mitochondrial function in clinical trials for AD. This highlights the need for biomarkers that measure mitochondrial function. METHODS: We determined the utility of a novel blood‐based mitochondrial biomarker,the mitochondrial functional index (MFI),in the context of AD in a pilot study.RESULTS: In vitro and in vivo models of AD had a reduced MFI. MFI was lower in human AD subjects and APOE ????4 carriers. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed MFI had a higher area under the curve than other plasma biomarkers. The MFI biomarker correlated with the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale. DISCUSSION: This study highlights the potential utility of MFI as a functional blood‐based mitochondrial biomarker to interrogate energy metabolism. Ongoing studies are examining the relationship of MFI with brain energy metabolism outcomes. Highlights: The MFI biomarker is reduced in cell and animal models of AD. The MFI biomarker is reduced in human AD subjects and APOE ε4 carriers. The MFI biomarker can discriminate between subjects with normal cognition and AD with better performance than other plasma biomarkers. The MFI biomarker correlates with cognitive scores. View Publication

Oligodendrocytes are the myelinating cells of the central nervous system. Regulation of the early stages of oligodendrocyte development is critical to the function of the cell. Specifically,myelin sheath formation is an energetically demanding event that requires precision,as alterations may lead to dysmyelination. Fatty acid β‐oxidation has been shown to be critical for the function of oligodendrocytes. We previously showed that myeloid cell leukemia‐1 (MCL‐1),a well‐characterized anti‐apoptotic protein,is required for the development of murine oligodendrocytes in vivo. Further,MCL‐1 regulates long‐chain fatty acid β‐oxidation in cancer cells through its interaction with Acyl‐CoA synthetase long‐chain family member 1 (ACSL1),an enzyme responsible for the conversion of free long‐chain fatty acids into fatty acyl‐CoA esters. Here,we introduce an in vitro system to isolate human stem cell‐derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and investigate the involvement of MCL‐1 during human oligodendrocyte development. Using this system,we pharmacologically inhibited MCL‐1 in OPCs to investigate its non‐apoptotic function at this developmental stage. We also used a motor neuron‐oligodendrocyte co‐culture system to examine the downstream effects of MCL‐1 at later developmental stages when oligodendrocytes begin to contact axons and generate myelin. We demonstrate that the mitochondrial network changes in human oligodendrocyte development resemble those reported in mouse tissue. Our findings point to MCL‐1 as a critical factor essential for proper oligodendrocyte morphogenesis. A unified model of oligodendrocyte differentiation from human embryonic stem cells revealed that MCL‐1 is critical for regulating the expression of oligodendrocyte‐related genes and the morphogenesis of myelinating oligodendrocytes. View Publication