技术资料

The in vitro 3D culture of intestinal epithelium is a valuable resource in the study of its function. Organoid culture exploits stem cells' ability to regenerate and produce differentiated epithelium. Intestinal organoid models from rodent or human tissue are widely available whereas large animal models are not. Livestock enteric and zoonotic diseases elicit significant morbidity and mortality in animal and human populations. Therefore,livestock species-specific models may offer novel insights into host-pathogen interactions and disease responses. Bovine and porcine jejunum were obtained from an abattoir and their intestinal crypts isolated,suspended in Matrigel,cultured,cryopreserved and resuscitated. 'Rounding' of crypts occurred followed by budding and then enlargement of the organoids. Epithelial cells were characterised using immunofluorescent staining and confocal microscopy. Organoids were successfully infected with Toxoplasma gondii or Salmonella typhimurium. This 3D organoid model offers a long-term,renewable resource for investigating species-specific intestinal infections with a variety of pathogens. View Publication

The upper respiratory tract is continuously exposed to a vast array of potentially pathogenic viruses and bacteria. Influenza A virus (IAV) has particular synergism with the commensal bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae in this niche,and co-infection exacerbates pathogenicity and causes significant mortality. However,it is not known whether this synergism is associated with a direct interaction between the two pathogens. We have previously reported that co-administration of a whole-inactivated IAV vaccine (gamma-Flu) with a whole-inactivated pneumococcal vaccine (gamma-PN) enhances pneumococcal-specific responses. In this study,we show that mucosal co-administration of gamma-Flu and gamma-PN similarly augments IAV-specific immunity,particularly tissue-resident memory cell responses in the lung. In addition,our in vitro analysis revealed that S. pneumoniae directly interacts with both gamma-Flu and with live IAV,facilitating increased uptake by macrophages as well as increased infection of epithelial cells by IAV. These observations provide an additional explanation for the synergistic pathogenicity of IAV and S. pneumoniae,as well as heralding the prospect of exploiting the phenomenon to develop better vaccine strategies for both pathogens. View Publication

We investigated the contribution of host immune cells to bacterial killing in a whole-blood bactericidal activity (WBA) assay,an ex vivo model used to test efficacy of drugs against mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). We performed WBA assays with immuno-magnetic depletion of specific cell types,in the presence or absence of rifampicin. Innate immune cells decreased Mtb growth in absence of drug,but appeared to diminish the cidal activity of rifampicin,possibly attributable to intracellular bacterial sequestration. Adaptive immune cells had no effect with or without drug. The WBA assay may have potential for testing adjunctive host-directed therapies acting on phagocytic cells. View Publication

Precise control of Wnt signaling is necessary for immune system development. In this study,we detected severely impaired development of all lymphoid lineages in mice,resulting from an N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea-induced mutation in the limb region 1-like gene (Lmbr1l),which encodes a membrane-spanning protein with no previously described function in immunity. The interaction of LMBR1L with glycoprotein 78 (GP78) and ubiquitin-associated domain-containing protein 2 (UBAC2) attenuated Wnt signaling in lymphocytes by preventing the maturation of FZD6 and LRP6 through ubiquitination within the endoplasmic reticulum and by stabilizing destruction complex" proteins. LMBR1L-deficient T cells exhibited hallmarks of Wnt/beta-catenin activation and underwent apoptotic cell death in response to proliferative stimuli. LMBR1L has an essential function during lymphopoiesis and lymphoid activation acting as a negative regulator of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway." View Publication

Associations between chronic antigen stimulation,T cell dysfunction,and the expression of various inhibitory receptors are well characterized in several mouse and human systems. During chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (CHB),T cell responses are blunted with low frequencies of virus-specific T cells observed,making these parameters difficult to study. Here,using mass cytometry and a highly multiplexed combinatorial peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) tetramer strategy that allows for the detection of rare antigen-specific T cells,we simultaneously probed 484 unique HLA-A*1101-restricted epitopes spanning the entire HBV genome on T cells from patients at various stages of CHB. Numerous HBV-specific T cell populations were detected,validated,and profiled. T cells specific for two epitopes (HBVpol387 and HBVcore169) displayed differing and complex heterogeneities that were associated with the disease progression,and the expression of inhibitory receptors on these cells was not linearly related with their extent of T cell dysfunction. For HBVcore169-specific CD8+ T cells,we found cellular markers associated with long-term memory,polyfunctionality,and the presence of several previously unidentified public TCR clones that correlated with viral control. Using high-dimensional trajectory analysis of these cellular phenotypes,a pseudo-time metric was constructed that fit with the status of viral infection in corresponding patients. This was validated in a longitudinal cohort of patients undergoing antiviral therapy. Our study uncovers complex relationships of inhibitory receptors between the profiles of antigen-specific T cells and the status of CHB with implications for new strategies of therapeutic intervention. View Publication

BACKGROUND AIMS microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that bind to 3'UTR regions of mRNAs to promote their degradation or block their translation. Mice with disruption of the trefoil factor 1 gene (Tff1) develop gastric neoplasms. We studied these mice to identify conserved miRNA networks involved in gastric carcinogenesis. METHODS We performed next-generation miRNA sequencing analysis of normal gastric tissues (based on histology) from subjects without evidence of gastric neoplasm from patients (n=64) and TFF1-knockout mice (n=22). We validated our findings using 270 normal gastric tissues (including 61 samples from patients without evidence of neoplastic lesions) and 234 gastric tumor tissues from 3 separate cohorts of patients and from mice. We performed molecular and functional assays using cell lines (MKN28,MKN45,STKM2,and AGS cells),gastric organoids,and mice with xenograft tumors. RESULTS We identified 117 miRNAs that were significantly deregulated in mouse and human gastric tumor tissues,compared with non-tumor tissues. We validated changes in levels of 6 miRNAs by quantitative real-time PCR analyses of neoplastic gastric tissues from mice (n=39) and 3 independent cohorts patients (332 patients total). We found levels of MIR135B-5p,MIR196B-5p,and MIR92A-5p to be increased in tumor tissues whereas levels of MIR143-3p,MIR204-5p,and MIR133-3p were decreased in tumor tissues. Levels of MIR143-3p were reduced not only in gastric cancer tissues,but also in normal tissues adjacent to tumors in humans and low-grade dysplasia in mice. Transgenic expression of MIR143-3p in gastric cancer cell lines reduced their proliferation and restored their sensitivity to cisplatin. AGS cells with stable transgenic expression of MIR143-3p grew more slowly as xenograft tumors in mice than control AGS cells; tumor growth from AGS cells that expressed MIR143-3p,but not control cells,was sensitive to cisplatin. We identified and validated bromodomain containing 2 (BRD2) as a direct target of MIR143-3p; increased levels of BRD2 in gastric tumors associated with shorter survival times of patients. CONCLUSIONS In an analysis of miRNA profiles of gastric tumors from mice and human patients,we identified a conserved signature associated with early stages of gastric tumorigenesis. Strategies to restore MIR143-3p or inhibit BRD2 might be developed for treatment of gastric cancer. View Publication

Aneurysms and dissections affecting thoracic aorta are associated with smooth muscle cell (SMC) dysfunction. NO/cGMP signaling pathway in smooth muscle cells has been shown to be affected in sporadic thoracic aortic aneurysms. We analyzed the mRNA levels of PDE5,a cGMP-hydrolyzing enzyme highly expressed in aortic SMCs,that regulates arterious vascular tone by lowering cGMP levels. We found that aortic tissue obtained from Marfan,tricuspid and bicuspid thoracic aneurysms expressed lower levels of PDE5 mRNA compared to control aortas. In particular,we found that affected aortas showed lower levels of all the PDE5A isoforms,compared to control aortas. Transfection of vascular SMCs (VSMCs) with NOTCH3 activated domain (NICD3) induced the expression of PDE5A1 and A3 protein isoforms,but not that of the corresponding mRNAs. VSMC stimulation with GSNO,a nitric oxide analogue or with 8-br-cGMP,but not with 8-br-cAMP,up-regulated PDE5 and NOTCH-3 protein levels,indicating a negative feedback loop to protect the arterial wall from excessive relaxation. Finally,we found that PDE5 is expressed early during human aorta development,suggesting that if loss of function mutations of PDE5 occur,they might potentially affect aortic wall development. View Publication

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a tumor of plasma cells (PCs). Due to the intense immunoglobulin secretion,PCs are prone to endoplasmic reticulum stress and activate several stress-managing pathways,including autophagy. Indeed,autophagy deregulation is maladaptive for MM cells,resulting in cell death. CK1alpha,a pro-survival kinase in MM,has recently been involved as a regulator of the autophagic flux and of the transcriptional competence of the autophagy-related transcription factor FOXO3a in several cancers. In this study,we investigated the role of CK1alpha in autophagy in MM. To study the autophagic flux we generated clones of MM cell lines expressing the mCherry-eGFP-LC3B fusion protein. We observed that CK1 inhibition with the chemical ATP-competitive CK1 alpha/delta inhibitor D4476 resulted in an impaired autophagic flux,likely due to an alteration of lysosomes acidification. However,D4476 caused the accumulation of the transcription factor FOXO3a in the nucleus,and this was paralleled by the upregulation of mRNA coding for autophagic genes. Surprisingly,silencing of CK1alpha by RNA interference triggered the autophagic flux. However,FOXO3a did not shuttle into the nucleus and the transcription of autophagy-related FOXO3a-dependent genes was not observed. Thus,while the chemical inhibition with the dual CK1alpha/delta inhibitor D4476 induced cell death as a consequence of an accumulation of ineffective autophagic vesicles,on the opposite,CK1alpha silencing,although it also determined apoptosis,triggered a full activation of the early autophagic flux,which was then not supported by the upregulation of autophagic genes. Taken together,our results indicate that the family of CK1 kinases may profoundly influence MM cells survival also through the modulation of the autophagic pathway. View Publication

A renewable source of human monocytes and macrophages would be a valuable alternative to primary cells from peripheral blood (PB) in biomedical research. We developed an efficient protocol to derive monocytes and macrophages from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and performed a functional comparison with PB-derived cells. hiPSC-derived monocytes were functional after cryopreservation and exhibited gene expression profiles comparable with PB-derived monocytes. Notably,hiPSC-derived monocytes were more activated with greater adhesion to endothelial cells under physiological flow. hiPSC-derived monocytes were successfully polarized to M1 and M2 macrophage subtypes,which showed similar pan- and subtype-specific gene and surface protein expression and cytokine secretion to PB-derived macrophages. hiPSC-derived macrophages exhibited higher endocytosis and efferocytosis and similar bacterial and tumor cell phagocytosis to PB-derived macrophages. In summary,we developed a robust protocol to generate hiPSC monocytes and macrophages from independent hiPSC lines that showed aspects of functional maturity comparable with those from PB. View Publication

A proposed strategy to cure HIV uses latency-reversing agents (LRAs) to reactivate latent proviruses for purging HIV reservoirs. A variety of LRAs have been identified,but none has yet proven effective in reducing the reservoir size in vivo. Nanocarriers could address some major challenges by improving drug solubility and safety,providing sustained drug release,and simultaneously delivering multiple drugs to target tissues and cells. Here,we formulated hybrid nanocarriers that incorporate physicochemically diverse LRAs and target lymphatic CD4+ T cells. We identified one LRA combination that displayed synergistic latency reversal and low cytotoxicity in a cell model of HIV and in CD4+ T cells from virologically suppressed patients. Furthermore,our targeted nanocarriers selectively activated CD4+ T cells in nonhuman primate peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well as in murine lymph nodes,and substantially reduced local toxicity. This nanocarrier platform may enable new solutions for delivering anti-HIV agents for an HIV cure. View Publication

Inflammation is a risk factor for cancer development. Individuals with preleukemic TET2 mutations manifest clonal hematopoiesis and are at a higher risk of developing leukemia. How inflammatory signals influence the survival of preleukemic hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) is unclear. We show a rapid increase in the frequency and absolute number of Tet2-KO mature myeloid cells and HSPCs in response to inflammatory stress,which results in enhanced production of inflammatory cytokines,including interleukin-6 (IL-6),and resistance to apoptosis. IL-6 induces hyperactivation of the Shp2-Stat3 signaling axis,resulting in increased expression of a novel anti-apoptotic long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs),Morrbid,in Tet2-KO myeloid cells and HSPCs. Expression of activated Shp2 in HSPCs phenocopies Tet2 loss with regard to hyperactivation of Stat3 and Morrbid. In vivo,pharmacologic inhibition of Shp2 or Stat3 or genetic loss of Morrbid in Tet2 mutant mice rescues inflammatory-stress-induced abnormalities in HSPCs and mature myeloid cells,including clonal hematopoiesis. View Publication

Niches in the bone marrow regulate hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) fate and behavior through cell-cell interactions and soluble factor secretion. The niche-HSPC crosstalk is a very complex process not completely elucidated yet. To aid further investigation of this crosstalk,a functional in vitro 3D model that closely represents the main supportive compartments of the bone marrow is developed. Different combinations of human stromal cells and hydrogels are tested for their potential to maintain CD34+ HSPCs. Cell viability,clonogenic hematopoietic potential,and surface marker expression are assessed over time. Optimal HSPC support is obtained in presence of adipogenic and osteogenic cells,together with progenitor derived endothelial cells. When cultured in a bioactive hydrogel,the supportive cells self-assemble into a hypoxic stromal network,stimulating CD34+ CD38+ cell formation,while maintaining the pool of CD34+ 38- HSPCs. HSPC clusters colocalize with the stromal networks,in close proximity to sinusoidal clusters of CD31+ endothelial cells. Importantly,the primary in vitro niche model supports HSPCs with no cytokine addition. Overall,the engineered primary 3D bone marrow environment provides an easy and reliable model to further investigate interactions between HSPCs and their endosteal and perivascular niches,in the context of normal hematopoiesis or blood-related diseases. View Publication