技术资料

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

Our previous studies have demonstrated that a previously unrecognized role of CFTR in hematopoiesis and acute leukemia. Here,we show that CFTR inhibitor CFTR-inh172 possesses ability to inhibit human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. In detail,CFTR-inh172 inhibited cell proliferation,promoted apoptosis and arrested the cell cycle in human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell CCRF-CEM,JURKAT and MOLT-4. Furthermore,transcriptome analysis reveals that CFTR-inh172 induces significant alteration of gene expression related to apoptosis and proliferation. These findings demonstrate the potential of CFTR inhibitor CFTR-inh172 in human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment. View Publication

Rapidly evolving RNA viruses,such as the GII.4 strain of human norovirus (HuNoV),and their vaccines elicit complex serological responses associated with previous exposure. Specific correlates of protection,moreover,remain poorly understood. Here,we report the GII.4-serological antibody repertoire-pre- and post-vaccination-and select several antibody clonotypes for epitope and structural analysis. The humoral response was dominated by GII.4-specific antibodies that blocked ancestral strains or by antibodies that bound to divergent genotypes and did not block viral-entry-ligand interactions. However,one antibody,A1431,showed broad blockade toward tested GII.4 strains and neutralized the pandemic GII.P16-GII.4 Sydney strain. Structural mapping revealed conserved epitopes,which were occluded on the virion or partially exposed,allowing for broad blockade with neutralizing activity. Overall,our results provide high-resolution molecular information on humoral immune responses after HuNoV vaccination and demonstrate that infection-derived and vaccine-elicited antibodies can exhibit broad blockade and neutralization against this prevalent human pathogen. View Publication

BACKGROUND Upregulation of RNA polymerase (Pol) III products,including tRNAs and 5S rRNA,in tumor cells leads to enhanced protein synthesis and tumor formation,making it a potential target for cancer treatment. In this study,we evaluated the inhibition of Pol III transcription by triptolide and the anti-cancer effect of this drug in colorectal tumorigenesis. METHODS The effect of triptolide on colorectal cancer development was assessed in colorectal cancer mouse models,3D organoids,and cultured cells. Colorectal cancer cells were treated with triptolide. Pol III transcription was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The formation of TFIIIB,a multi-subunit transcription factor for Pol III,was determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP),co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP),and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). RESULTS Triptolide reduced both tumor number and tumor size in adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) mutated (ApcMin/+) mice as well as AOM/DSS-induced mice. Moreover,triptolide effectively inhibited colorectal cancer cell proliferation,colony formation,and organoid growth in vitro,which was associated with decreased Pol III target genes. Mechanistically,triptolide treatment blocked TBP/Brf1interaction,leading to the reduced formation of TFIIIB at the promoters of tRNAs and 5S rRNA. CONCLUSIONS Together,our data suggest that inhibition of Pol III transcription with existing drugs such as triptolide provides a new avenue for developing novel therapies for colorectal cancer. 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

The intestine is a highly radiosensitive tissue that is susceptible to structural and functional damage due to systemic as well as localized radiation exposure. Unfortunately,no effective prophylactic or therapeutic agents are available at present to manage radiation-induced intestinal injuries. We observed that the vanillin derivative VND3207 improved the survival of lethally irradiated mice by promoting intestinal regeneration and increasing the number of surviving crypts. Pre-treatment with VND3207 significantly increased the number of Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and their daughter cells,the transient Ki67+ proliferating cells. Mechanistically,VND3207 decreased oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation and maintained endogenous antioxidant status by increasing the level of superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity. In addition,VND3207 maintained appropriate levels of activated p53 that triggered cell cycle arrest but were not sufficient to induce NOXA-mediated apoptosis,thus ensuring DNA damage repair in the irradiated small intestinal crypt cells. Furthermore,VND3207 treatment restores the intestinal bacterial flora structures altered by TBI exposure. In conclusion,VND3207 promoted intestinal repair following radiation injury by reducing reactive oxygen species-induced DNA damage and modulating appropriate levels of activated p53 in intestinal epithelial 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

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating neonatal disease characterized by acute intestinal injury. Intestinal stem cell (ISC) renewal is required for gut regeneration in response to acute injury. The Wnt/$\beta$-catenin pathway is essential for intestinal renewal and ISC maintenance. We found that ISC expression,Wnt activity and intestinal regeneration were all decreased in both mice with experimental NEC and in infants with acute active NEC. Moreover,intestinal organoids derived from NEC-injured intestine of both mice and humans failed to maintain proliferation and presented more differentiation. Administration of Wnt7b reversed these changes and promoted growth of intestinal organoids. Additionally,administration of exogenous Wnt7b rescued intestinal injury,restored ISC,and reestablished intestinal epithelial homeostasis in mice with NEC. Our findings demonstrate that during NEC,Wnt/$\beta$-catenin signaling is decreased,ISC activity is impaired,and intestinal regeneration is defective. Administration of Wnt resulted in the maintenance of intestinal epithelial homeostasis and avoidance of NEC intestinal injury. View Publication

In addition to antigen-driven signals,T cells need co-stimulatory signals for robust activation. Several receptors,including members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF),can deliver co-stimulatory signals to T cells. Thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP) is an important inhibitor of glucose uptake and cell proliferation,but it is unknown how TXNIP is regulated in T cells. The aim of this study was to determine expression levels and regulation of TXNIP in human T cells. We found that na{\{i}}ve T cells express high levels of TXNIP and that treatment of blood samples with TNF results in rapid down-regulation of TXNIP in the T cells. TNF-induced TXNIP down-regulation correlated with increased glucose uptake. Furthermore we found that density gradient centrifugation (DGC) induced down-regulation of TXNIP. We demonstrate that DGC induced TNF production that paralleled the TXNIP down-regulation. Treatment of blood with toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands induced TNF production and TXNIP down-regulation suggesting that damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) such as endogenous TLR ligands released during DGC play a role in DGC-induced TXNIP down-regulation. Finally we demonstrate that TNF-induced TXNIP down-regulation is dependent on caspase activity and is caused by caspase-mediated cleavage of TXNIP." View Publication