技术资料

OBJECTIVE Atherosclerosis is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. Monocyte-endothelial cell interactions are partly mediated by expression of monocyte CX3CR1 and endothelial cell fractalkine (CX3CL1). Interrupting the interaction between this ligand-receptor pair should reduce monocyte binding to the endothelial wall and reduce atherosclerosis. We sought to reduce atherosclerosis by preventing monocyte-endothelial cell interactions through use of a long-acting CX3CR1 agonist. METHODS In this study,the chemokine domain of CX3CL1 was fused to the mouse Fc region to generate a long-acting soluble form of CX3CL1 suitable for chronic studies. CX3CL1-Fc or saline was injected twice a week (30 mg/kg) for 4 months into Ldlr knockout (KO) mice on an atherogenic western diet. RESULTS CX3CL1-Fc-treated Ldlr KO mice showed decreased en face aortic lesion surface area and reduced aortic root lesion size with decreased necrotic core area. Flow cytometry analyses of CX3CL1-Fc-treated aortic wall cell digests revealed a decrease in M1-like polarized macrophages and T cells. Moreover,CX3CL1-Fc administration reduced diet-induced atherosclerosis after switching from an atherogenic to a normal chow diet. In vitro monocyte adhesion studies revealed that CX3CL1-Fc treatment caused fewer monocytes to adhere to a human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayer. Furthermore,a dorsal window chamber model demonstrated that CX3CL1-Fc treatment decreased in vivo leukocyte adhesion and rolling in live capillaries after short-term ischemia-reperfusion. CONCLUSION These results indicate that CX3CL1-Fc can inhibit monocyte/endothelial cell adhesion as well as reduce atherosclerosis. View Publication

Specialized immune cell subsets are involved in autoimmune disease,cancer immunity,and infectious disease through a diverse range of functions mediated by overlapping pathways and signals. However,subset-specific responses may not be detectable in analyses of whole blood samples,and no efficient approach for profiling cell subsets at high throughput from small samples is available. We present a low-input microfluidic system for sorting immune cells into subsets and profiling their gene expression. We validate the system's technical performance against standard subset isolation and library construction protocols and demonstrate the importance of subset-specific profiling through in vitro stimulation experiments. We show the ability of this integrated platform to identify subset-specific disease signatures by profiling four immune cell subsets in blood from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and matched control subjects. The platform has the potential to make multiplexed subset-specific analysis routine in many research laboratories and clinical settings. View Publication

During metazoan development,immune surveillance and cancer dissemination,cells migrate in complex three-dimensional microenvironments1-3. These spaces are crowded by cells and extracellular matrix,generating mazes with differently sized gaps that are typically smaller than the diameter of the migrating cell4,5. Most mesenchymal and epithelial cells and some-but not all-cancer cells actively generate their migratory path using pericellular tissue proteolysis6. By contrast,amoeboid cells such as leukocytes use non-destructive strategies of locomotion7,raising the question how these extremely fast cells navigate through dense tissues. Here we reveal that leukocytes sample their immediate vicinity for large pore sizes,and are thereby able to choose the path of least resistance. This allows them to circumnavigate local obstacles while effectively following global directional cues such as chemotactic gradients. Pore-size discrimination is facilitated by frontward positioning of the nucleus,which enables the cells to use their bulkiest compartment as a mechanical gauge. Once the nucleus and the closely associated microtubule organizing centre pass the largest pore,cytoplasmic protrusions still lingering in smaller pores are retracted. These retractions are coordinated by dynamic microtubules; when microtubules are disrupted,migrating cells lose coherence and frequently fragment into migratory cytoplasmic pieces. As nuclear positioning in front of the microtubule organizing centre is a typical feature of amoeboid migration,our findings link the fundamental organization of cellular polarity to the strategy of locomotion. View Publication

MALT1 paracaspase is central for lymphocyte antigen-dependent responses including NF-kappaB activation. We discovered nanomolar,selective allosteric inhibitors of MALT1 that bind by displacing the side chain of Trp580,locking the protease in an inactive conformation. Interestingly,we had previously identified a patient homozygous for a MALT1 Trp580-to-serine mutation who suffered from combined immunodeficiency. We show that the loss of tryptophan weakened interactions between the paracaspase and C-terminal immunoglobulin MALT1 domains resulting in protein instability,reduced protein levels and functions. Upon binding of allosteric inhibitors of increasing potency,we found proportionate increased stabilization of MALT1-W580S to reach that of wild-type MALT1. With restored levels of stable MALT1 protein,the most potent of the allosteric inhibitors rescued NF-kappaB and JNK signaling in patient lymphocytes. Following compound washout,MALT1 substrate cleavage was partly recovered. Thus,a molecular corrector rescues an enzyme deficiency by substituting for the mutated residue,inspiring new potential precision therapies to increase mutant enzyme activity in other deficiencies. View Publication

Lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3) is an inhibitory receptor expressed by CD4+ T cells and tempers their homeostatic expansion. Because CD4+ T cell proliferation is tightly coupled to bioenergetics,we investigate the role of LAG-3 in modulating naive CD4+ T cell metabolism. LAG-3 deficiency enhances the metabolic profile of naive CD4+ T cells by elevating levels of mitochondrial biogenesis. In vivo,LAG-3 blockade partially restores expansion and the metabolic phenotype of wild-type CD4+ T cells to levels of Lag3-/- CD4+ T cells,solidifying that LAG-3 controls these processes. Lag3-/- CD4+ T cells also demonstrate greater signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) activation,enabling resistance to interleukin-7 (IL-7) deprivation. These results implicate this pathway as a target of LAG-3-mediated inhibition. Additionally,enhancement of STAT5 activation,as a result of LAG-3 deficiency,contributes to greater activation potential in these cells. These results identify an additional mode of regulation elicited by LAG-3 in controlling CD4+ T cell responses. View Publication

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are a valuable tool for investigating complex cellular and molecular events that occur in several human diseases. Importantly,the ability to differentiate hiPSCs into any human cell type provides a unique way for investigating disease mechanisms such as complex mental health diseases. The in vitro transformation of human lymphocytes into lymphoblasts (LCLs) using the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been the main method for generating immortalized human cell lines for half a century. However,the derivation of iPSCs from LCLs has emerged as an alternative source from which these cell lines can be generated. We show that iPSCs derived from LCLs using the Sendai virus procedure can be successfully differentiated into cardiomyocytes,neurons,and myotubes that express neuron- and myocyte-specific markers. We further show that these cardiac and neuronal cells are functional and generate action potentials that are required for cell excitability. We conclude that the ability to differentiate LCLs into neurons and myocytes will increase the use of LCLs in the future as a potential source of cells for modelling a number of diseases. View Publication

Missing in Metastasis (MIM),or Metastasis Suppressor 1 (MTSS1),is a highly conserved protein,which links the plasma membrane to the actin cytoskeleton. MIM has been implicated in various cancers,however,its modes of action remain largely enigmatic. Here,we performed an extensive in silico characterisation of MIM to gain better understanding of its function. We detected previously unappreciated functional motifs including adaptor protein (AP) complex interaction site and a C-helix,pointing to a role in endocytosis and regulation of actin dynamics,respectively. We also identified new functional regions,characterised with phosphorylation sites or distinct hydrophilic properties. Strong negative selection during evolution,yielding high conservation of MIM,has been combined with positive selection at key sites. Interestingly,our analysis of intra-molecular co-evolution revealed potential regulatory hotspots that coincided with reduced potentially pathogenic polymorphisms. We explored databases for the mutations and expression levels of MIM in cancer. Experimentally,we focused on chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL),where MIM showed high overall expression,however,downregulation on poor prognosis samples. Finally,we propose strong conservation of MTSS1 also on the transcriptional level and predict novel transcriptional regulators. Our data highlight important targets for future studies on the role of MIM in different tissues and cancers. View Publication

Aquaporin (AQP) 3 expression is altered in inflammatory bowel diseases,although the exact mechanisms regulating AQP abundance are unclear. Although interferon gamma (IFNgamma) is centrally involved in intestinal inflammation,the effect of this cytokine on AQP3 expression remains unknown. HT-29 human colonic epithelial cells were treated with IFNgamma to assess AQP3 mRNA expression by real-time RT-PCR and functional protein expression through the uptake of radiolabelled glycerol. Transient knockdown of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1),STAT3,Sp1,and Sp3 were performed to determine the involvement of these transcription factors in the IFNgamma-induced signalling cascade. AQP3 promoter regions involved in the response to IFNgamma were assessed using a luciferase reporter system. Likewise,enteroids derived from human colonic biopsies were also treated with IFNgamma to assess for changes in AQP3 mRNA expression. IFNgamma decreased AQP3 mRNA expression in HT-29 cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner and reduced functional AQP3 protein expression (decreased 3H-labelled glycerol uptake). IFNgamma also reduced AQP3 expression in enteroids derived from human colonic biopsies. Knockdown of STAT1 partially prevented the IFNgamma-induced downregulation of AQP3 expression,whereas STAT3 and Sp3 knockdowns resulted in increased baseline expression of AQP3 but did not alter IFNgamma-induced downregulation. Constitutive transcription of AQP3 is downregulated by IFNgamma as demonstrated using the luciferase reporter system,with Sp3 bound to the AQP3 promoter as shown by chromatin immunoprecipitation. AQP3 constitutive transcription in intestinal epithelial cells is downregulated by IFNgamma. This response requires STAT1 that is postulated to drive the downregulation of AQP3 expression through increased acetylation or decreased deacetylation the AQP3 promoter,ultimately resulting in decreased constitutive transcription of AQP3. KEY MESSAGES • IFNgamma suppresses the expression of AQP3 in intestinal epithelial cells. • Proximal AQP3 promoter elements are sufficient to drive constitutive expression and mediate the IFNgamma-induced downregulation of AQP3 mRNA expression. • IFNgamma-induced suppression of AQP3 is dependent upon STAT1 expression,but not STAT3,Sp1,or Sp3. View Publication

Gene correction in human long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) could be an effective therapy for monogenic diseases of the blood and immune system. Here we describe an approach for X-linked sSevere cCombined iImmunodeficiency (SCID-X1) using targeted integration of a cDNA into the endogenous start codon to functionally correct disease-causing mutations throughout the gene. Using a CRISPR-Cas9/AAV6 based strategy,we achieve up to 20{\%} targeted integration frequencies in LT-HSCs. As measures of the lack of toxicity we observe no evidence of abnormal hematopoiesis following transplantation and no evidence of off-target mutations using a high-fidelity Cas9 as a ribonucleoprotein complex. We achieve high levels of targeting frequencies (median 45{\%}) in CD34+ HSPCs from six SCID-X1 patients and demonstrate rescue of lymphopoietic defect in a patient derived HSPC population in vitro and in vivo. In sum,our study provides specificity,toxicity and efficacy data supportive of clinical development of genome editing to treat SCID-Xl. View Publication

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a monogenic disorder that affects millions worldwide. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the only available cure. Here,we demonstrate the use of CRISPR/Cas9 and a short single-stranded oligonucleotide template to correct the sickle mutation in the beta-globin gene in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from peripheral blood or bone marrow of patients with SCD,with 24.5 ± 7.6{\%} efficiency without selection. Erythrocytes derived from gene-edited cells showed a marked reduction of sickle cells,with the level of normal hemoglobin (HbA) increased to 25.3 ± 13.9{\%}. Gene-corrected SCD HSPCs retained the ability to engraft when transplanted into non-obese diabetic (NOD)-SCID-gamma (NSG) mice with detectable levels of gene correction 16-19 weeks post-transplantation. We show that,by using a high-fidelity SpyCas9 that maintained the same level of on-target gene modification,the off-target effects including chromosomal rearrangements were significantly reduced. Taken together,our results demonstrate efficient gene correction of the sickle mutation in both peripheral blood and bone marrow-derived SCD HSPCs,a significant reduction in sickling of red blood cells,engraftment of gene-edited SCD HSPCs in vivo and the importance of reducing off-target effects; all are essential for moving genome editing based SCD treatment into clinical practice. View Publication

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells exhibit different characteristics from those of TCRalpha7.2- conventional T cells. They play important roles in various inflammatory diseases,including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. MAIT cells express a single T cell receptor alpha chain,TCRalpha7.2 segment associated with Jalpha33 and CDR3 with fixed length,which recognizes bacteria-derived vitamin B metabolites. However,the characteristics of MAIT cells and TCRalpha7.2+ CD161- T cells have never been compared. Here,we performed RNA sequencing to compare the properties of MAIT cells,TCRalpha7.2- conventional T cells and TCRalpha7.2+ CD161- T cells. Genome-wide transcriptomes of MAIT cells,TCRalpha7.2- conventional T cells,and TCRalpha7.2+ CD161- T cells were compared and analyzed using causal network analysis. This is the first report comparing the transcriptomes of MAIT cells,TCRalpha7.2- conventional T cells and TCRalpha7.2+ CD161- T cells. We also identified the predominant signaling pathways of MAIT cells,which differed from those of TCRalpha7.2- conventional T cells and TCRalpha7.2+ CD161- T cells,through a gene set enrichment test and upstream regulator analysis and identified the genes responsible for the characteristic MAIT cell phenotypes. Our study advances the complete understanding of MAIT biology. View Publication

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive clonal disorder of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and primitive progenitors that blocks their myeloid differentiation,generating self-renewing leukemic stem cells (LSCs). Here,we show that the mRNA m6A reader YTHDF2 is overexpressed in a broad spectrum of human AML and is required for disease initiation as well as propagation in mouse and human AML. YTHDF2 decreases the half-life of diverse m6A transcripts that contribute to the overall integrity of LSC function,including the tumor necrosis factor receptor Tnfrsf2,whose upregulation in Ythdf2-deficient LSCs primes cells for apoptosis. Intriguingly,YTHDF2 is not essential for normal HSC function,with YTHDF2 deficiency actually enhancing HSC activity. Thus,we identify YTHDF2 as a unique therapeutic target whose inhibition selectively targets LSCs while promoting HSC expansion. View Publication