技术资料

Aging impairs the regenerative potential of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and skews differentiation towards the myeloid lineage. The bone marrow (BM) microenvironment has recently been suggested to influence HSC aging,however the mechanisms whereby BM stromal cells mediate this effect is unknown. Here we show that aging-associated decreased expression of CXCR4 expression on BM mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) plays a crucial role in the development of the hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) aging phenotype. The BM MSC from old mice was sufficient to drive a premature aging phenotype of young HSPC when cultured together ex vivo. The impaired ability of old MSC to support HSPC function is associated with reduced expression of CXCR4 on BM MSC of old mice. Deletion of the CXCR4 gene in young MSC accelerates an aging phenotype in these cells characterized by increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS),DNA damage,senescence,and reduced proliferation. Culture of HSPC from young mice with CXCR4 deficient MSC also from young mice led to a premature aging phenotype in the young HSPC,as evidenced by reduced hematopoietic regeneration and enhanced myeloid differentiation. Mechanistically,CXCR4 signaling prevents BM MSC dysfunction by suppressing oxidative stress,as treatment of old or CXCR4 deficient MSC with N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC),improved their niche supporting activity,and attenuated the HSPC aging phenotype. Our studies suggest that age-associated reduction in CXCR4 expression on BM MSC impairs hematopoietic niche activity with increased ROS production,driving an HSC aging phenotype. Thus,modulation of the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in MSC may lead to novel interventions to alleviate the age-associated decline in immune/hematopoietic function. View Publication

R-2-hydroxyglutarate (R-2HG),produced at high levels by mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 (IDH1/2) enzymes,was reported as an oncometabolite. We show here that R-2HG also exerts a broad anti-leukemic activity in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting leukemia cell proliferation/viability and by promoting cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. Mechanistically,R-2HG inhibits fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) activity,thereby increasing global N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification in R-2HG-sensitive leukemia cells,which in turn decreases the stability of MYC/CEBPA transcripts,leading to the suppression of relevant pathways. Ectopically expressed mutant IDH1 and S-2HG recapitulate the effects of R-2HG. High levels of FTO sensitize leukemic cells to R-2HG,whereas hyperactivation of MYC signaling confers resistance that can be reversed by the inhibition of MYC signaling. R-2HG also displays anti-tumor activity in glioma. Collectively,while R-2HG accumulated in IDH1/2 mutant cancers contributes to cancer initiation,our work demonstrates anti-tumor effects of 2HG in inhibiting proliferation/survival of FTO-high cancer cells via targeting FTO/m6A/MYC/CEBPA signaling. View Publication

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) hold great value for future clinical applications. However,standard culture conditions maintain hESCs in a primed state,which bears heterogeneity in pluripotency and a tendency for spontaneous differentiation. To counter these drawbacks,primed hESCs have been converted to a naive state,but this has restricted the efficiency of existing directed differentiation protocols. In mouse,WNT inhibition by inhibitor of WNT production-2,together with a higher dose of fibroblast growth factor 2 (12 ng/mL) in DMEM/F12 basal medium (DhiFI),markedly improved derivation and maintenance of primed mouse epiblast stem cells. In this study,we show that DhiFI conditions similarly improved primed hESC traits,such as conferring a primed transcriptional signature with high levels of pluripotency markers and reduced levels of differentiation markers. When triggered to differentiate to neuronal and cardiac lineages,DhiFI hESCs and isogenic primed hESCs progressed similarly. Moreover,DhiFI conditions supported the derivation of hESC lines from a post-inner cell mass intermediate (PICMI). DhiFI-derived hESCs showed less spontaneous differentiation and expressed significantly lower levels of lineage-specific markers,compared to primed-derived lines from the same PICMI. Overall,DhiFI hESCs retained advantages of both primed and naive pluripotency and may ultimately represent a more favorable starting point for differentiation toward clinically desired cell types. View Publication

Human-induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (hiPSC)-derived models have advanced the study of neurodegenerative diseases,including Parkinson's disease (PD). While age is the strongest risk factor for these disorders,hiPSC-derived models represent rejuvenated neurons. We developed hiPSC-derived Aged dopaminergic and cholinergic neurons to model PD and related synucleinopathies. Our new method induces aging through a `semi-natural' process,by passaging multiple times at the Neural Precursor Cell stage,prior to final differentiation. Characterization of isogenic hiPSC-derived neurons using heterochromatin and nuclear envelope markers,as well as DNA damage and global DNA methylation,validated our age-inducing method. Next,we compared neurons derived from a patient with SNCA-triplication (SNCA-Tri) and a Control. The SNCA-Tri neurons displayed exacerbated nuclear aging,showing advanced aging signatures already at the Juvenile stage. Noteworthy,the Aged SNCA-Tri neurons showed more $\alpha$-synuclein aggregates per cell versus the Juvenile. We suggest a link between the effects of aging and SNCA overexpression on neuronal nuclear architecture. View Publication

Our understanding of the signalling pathways regulating early human development is limited,despite their fundamental biological importance. Here,we mine transcriptomics datasets to investigate signalling in the human embryo and identify expression for the insulin and insulin growth factor 1 (IGF1) receptors,along with IGF1 ligand. Consequently,we generate a minimal chemically-defined culture medium in which IGF1 together with Activin maintain self-renewal in the absence of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling. Under these conditions,we derive several pluripotent stem cell lines that express pluripotency-associated genes,retain high viability and a normal karyotype,and can be genetically modified or differentiated into multiple cell lineages. We also identify active phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mTOR signalling in early human embryos,and in both primed and na{\{i}}ve pluripotent culture conditions. This demonstrates that signalling insights from human blastocysts can be used to define culture conditions that more closely recapitulate the embryonic niche." View Publication

Continual efferocytic clearance of apoptotic cells (ACs) by macrophages prevents necrosis and promotes injury resolution. How continual efferocytosis is promoted is not clear. Here,we show that the process is optimized by linking the metabolism of engulfed cargo from initial efferocytic events to subsequent rounds. We found that continual efferocytosis is enhanced by the metabolism of AC-derived arginine and ornithine to putrescine by macrophage arginase 1 (Arg1) and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). Putrescine augments HuR-mediated stabilization of the mRNA encoding the GTP-exchange factor Dbl,which activates actin-regulating Rac1 to facilitate subsequent rounds of AC internalization. Inhibition of any step along this pathway after first-AC uptake suppresses second-AC internalization,whereas putrescine addition rescues this defect. Mice lacking myeloid Arg1 or ODC have defects in efferocytosis in vivo and in atherosclerosis regression,while treatment with putrescine promotes atherosclerosis resolution. Thus,macrophage metabolism of AC-derived metabolites allows for optimal continual efferocytosis and resolution of injury. View Publication

Although obesity is known to be critical for cancer development,how obesity negatively impacts antitumor immune responses remains largely unknown. Here,we show that increased fatty acid oxidation (FAO) driven by activated STAT3 in CD8+ T effector cells is critical for obesity-associated breast tumor progression. Ablating T cell Stat3 or treatment with an FAO inhibitor in obese mice spontaneously developing breast tumor reduces FAO,increases glycolysis and CD8+ T effector cell functions,leading to inhibition of breast tumor development. Moreover,PD-1 ligation in CD8+ T cells activates STAT3 to increase FAO,inhibiting CD8+ T effector cell glycolysis and functions. Finally,leptin enriched in mammary adipocytes and fat tissues downregulates CD8+ T cell effector functions through activating STAT3-FAO and inhibiting glycolysis. We identify a critical role of increased oxidation of fatty acids driven by leptin and PD-1 through STAT3 in inhibiting CD8+ T effector cell glycolysis and in promoting obesity-associated breast tumorigenesis. View Publication

Stress granules (SGs) are non-membrane-bound RNA-protein granules that assemble through phase separation in response to cellular stress. Disturbances in SG dynamics have been implicated as a primary driver of neurodegenerative diseases,including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD),suggesting the hypothesis that these diseases reflect an underlying disturbance in the dynamics and material properties of SGs. However,this concept has remained largely untestable in available models of SG assembly,which require the confounding variable of exogenous stressors. Here we introduce a light-inducible SG system,termed OptoGranules,based on optogenetic multimerization of G3BP1,which is an essential scaffold protein for SG assembly. In this system,which permits experimental control of SGs in living cells in the absence of exogenous stressors,we demonstrate that persistent or repetitive assembly of SGs is cytotoxic and is accompanied by the evolution of SGs to cytoplasmic inclusions that recapitulate the pathology of ALS-FTD. Editorial note This article has been through an editorial process in which the authors decide how to respond to the issues raised during peer review. The Reviewing Editor's assessment is that all the issues have been addressed (see decision letter). View Publication

Antibodies are a principal determinant of immunity for most RNA viruses and have promise to reduce infection or disease during major epidemics. The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic with millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths to date1,2. In response,we used a rapid antibody discovery platform to isolate hundreds of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. We stratify these mAbs into five major classes on the basis of their reactivity to subdomains of S protein as well as their cross-reactivity to SARS-CoV. Many of these mAbs inhibit infection of authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus,with most neutralizing mAbs recognizing the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of S. This work defines sites of vulnerability on SARS-CoV-2 S and demonstrates the speed and robustness of advanced antibody discovery platforms. View Publication

Spontaneous control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is generally associated with an enhanced capacity of CD8+ T cells to eliminate infected CD4+ T cells,but the molecular characteristics of these highly functional CD8+ T cells are largely unknown. In the present study,using single-cell analysis,it was shown that HIV-specific,central memory CD8+ T cells from spontaneous HIV controllers (HICs) and antiretrovirally treated non-controllers have opposing transcriptomic profiles. Genes linked to effector functions and survival are upregulated in cells from HICs. In contrast,genes associated with activation,exhaustion and glycolysis are upregulated in cells from non-controllers. It was shown that HIV-specific CD8+ T cells from non-controllers are largely glucose dependent,whereas those from HICs have more diverse metabolic resources that enhance both their survival potential and their capacity to develop anti-HIV effector functions. The functional efficiency of the HIV-specific CD8+ T cell response in HICs is thus engraved in their memory population and related to their metabolic programme. Metabolic reprogramming in vitro through interleukin-15 treatment abrogated the glucose dependency and enhanced the antiviral potency of HIV-specific CD8+ T cells from non-controllers. View Publication

Perhexiline,2-(2,2-dicyclohexylethyl)piperidine,was originally developed as an anti-anginal drug in the 1970s. Despite its success,its use diminished due to the occurrence of poorly understood side effects including neurotoxicity and hepatotoxicity in a small proportion of patients. Recently,perhexiline's mechanism of action and the molecular basis of its toxicity have been elucidated. Perhexiline reduces fatty acid metabolism through the inhibition of carnitine palmitoyltransferase,the enzyme responsible for mitochondrial uptake of long-chain fatty acids. The corresponding shift to greater carbohydrate utilization increases myocardial efficiency (work done per unit oxygen consumption) and this oxygen-sparing effect explains its antianginal efficacy. Perhexiline's side effects are attributable to high plasma concentrations occurring with standard doses in patients with impaired metabolism due to CYP2D6 mutations. Accordingly,dose modification in these poorly metabolizing patients identified through therapeutic plasma monitoring can eliminate any significant side effects. Herein we detail perhexiline's pharmacology with particular emphasis on its mechanism of action and its side effects. We discuss how therapeutic plasma monitoring has led to perhexiline's safe reintroduction into clinical practice and how recent clinical data attesting to its safety and remarkable efficacy led to a renaissance in its use in both refractory angina and chronic heart failure. Finally,we discuss the application of pharmacogenetics in combination with therapeutic plasma monitoring to potentially broaden perhexiline's use in heart failure,aortic stenosis,and other cardiac conditions. View Publication

BACKGROUND Cell-surface mucins are expressed in apical epithelial cells of the respiratory tract,and contribute a crucial part of the innate immune system. Despite anti-inflammatory or antiviral functions being revealed for certain cell-surface mucins such as MUC1,the roles of other mucins are still poorly understood,especially in viral infections. METHODS To further identify mucins significant in influenza infection,we screened the expression of mucins in human nasal epithelial cells infected by H3N2 influenza A virus. RESULTS We found that the expression of MUC15 was significantly upregulated upon infection,and specific only to active infection. While MUC15 did not interact with virus particles or reduce viral replication directly,positive correlations were observed between MUC15 and inflammatory factors in response to viral infection. Given that the upregulation of MUC15 was only triggered late into infection when immune factors (including cytokines,chemokines,EGFR and phosphorylated ERK) started to peak and plateau,MUC15 may potentially serve an immunomodulatory function later during influenza viral infection. CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed that MUC15 was one of the few cell-surface mucins induced during influenza infection. While MUC15 did not interact directly with influenza virus,we showed that its increase coincides with the peak of immune activation and thus MUC15 may serve an immunomodulatory role during influenza infection. View Publication