技术资料

Ovarian cancer (OV) has the highest mortality rate among gynecological cancers. As OV progresses,tumor cells spread outside the ovaries to the peritoneal and abdominal cavities,forming cell clusters that float in the ascitic fluid caused by peritonitis carcinomatosa,leading to further dissemination and metastasis. These cell clusters are enriched with cancer stem cells (CSCs) which are responsible for treatment resistance,recurrence,and metastasis. Therefore,targeting CSCs is a potentially effective approach for treating OV. However,understanding how CSCs acquire treatment resistance and identifying targets against CSCs remains challenging. In this study,we demonstrate that 3D-spheroids of OV cell lines exhibit higher stemness than conventional adherent cells. Metabolomics profiling studies have revealed that 3D-spheroids maintain a high-energy state through increased glucose utilization in the citric acid cycle (TCA),efficient nucleotide phosphorylation,and elevated phosphocreatine as an energy buffer. We also found that nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT),the rate-limiting enzyme for NAD + production,is highly expressed in OV. Furthermore,the approach based on NAMPT dependence rather than histology found NAMPT to be a potential therapeutic target against CSCs,while also serving as a prognostic indicator in OV. Moreover,we identified a previously unrecognized anti-tumor mechanism whereby disulfiram,an aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) inhibitor,synergistically inhibited mitochondrial function when combined with NAMPT inhibitors - leading to cell cycle arrest in G2/M. Finally,the combination of a NAMPT inhibitor and disulfiram showed significant anti-tumor effects and extended survival in an animal model. Our findings demonstrate the potential of spheroids as a preclinical model for targeting OV CSCs and also indicate that the combination of NAMPT inhibitors and disulfiram is a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome recurrent OV. Subject terms: Ovarian cancer,Metabolomics,Apoptosis,Cancer stem cells View Publication

Low dose methotrexate (LD‐MTX) remains the gold standard in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapy. Multiple mechanisms on a variety of immune cells contribute to the anti‐inflammatory effects of LD‐MTX. Inflammatory signaling is deeply implicated in hematopoiesis by regulating hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) fate decisions; raising the question of whether HSPC are also modulated by LD‐MTX. This is the first study to characterize the effects of LD‐MTX on HSPC. CD34 + HSPC were isolated from healthy donors' non‐mobilized peripheral blood. Resting and/or cycling HSPCs were treated with LD‐MTX [dose equivalent to that used in RA patients]. Flow cytometry was performed to assess HSPC viability,cell cycle,surface abundance of reduced folate carrier 1 (RFC1),proliferation,reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels,DNA double‐strand breaks,p38 activation,and CD34 + subpopulations. HSPC clonogenicity was tested in colony‐forming cell assays. Our results indicate that in cycling HSPC,membrane RFC1 is upregulated and,following LD‐MTX treatment,they accumulate more intracellular MTX than resting HSPC. In cycling HSPC,LD‐MTX inhibits HSPC expansion by promoting S‐phase cell‐cycle arrest,increases intracellular HSPC ROS levels and DNA damage,and reduces HSPC viability. Those effects involve the activation of the p38 MAPK pathway and are rescued by folinic acid. The effects of LD‐MTX are more evident in CD34 + CD38High progenitors. In non‐cycling HSPC,LD‐MTX also reduces the proliferative response while preserving their clonogenicity. In summary,HSPC uptake LD‐MTX differentially according to their cycling state. In turn,LD‐MTX results in reduced proliferation and the preservation of HSPC clonogenicity. View Publication

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play crucial roles in tumor metastasis,therapy resistance,and immune evasion. Identifying and understanding the factors that regulate the stemness of tumor cells presents promising opportunities for developing effective therapeutic strategies. In this study on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC),we confirmed the key role of KLF7 in maintaining the stemness of OSCC. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and dual-luciferase assays,we identified ITGA2,a membrane receptor,as a key downstream gene regulated by KLF7 in the maintenance of stemness. Tumor sphere formation assays,flow cytometry analyses,and in vivo limiting dilution tumorigenicity evaluations demonstrated that knocking down ITGA2 significantly impaired stemness. Upon binding to its extracellular matrix (ECM) ligand,type I collagen,ITGA2 activates stemness-associated signaling pathways,including PI3K-AKT,MAPK,and Hippo. TC-I 15,a small-molecule inhibitor of the ITGA2-collagen interaction,significantly sensitizes oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) to cisplatin in xenograft models. In summary,we reveal that the KLF7/ITGA2 axis is a crucial modulator of stemness in OSCC. Our findings suggest that ITGA2 is a promising therapeutic target,offering a novel anti-CSC strategy. Subject terms: Cancer stem cells,Cancer therapeutic resistance View Publication

Transition from the manual processes that are performed during the initial research and development (R&D) stage to automated processes for later and commercial stage cell therapy manufacturing can be challenging. It often requires significant effort,time,and costs – which hinders the therapy’s access to the clinic. To ease this transition,we have developed a novel and flexible manufacturing platform,Bioreactor with Expandable Culture Area (BECA),that aims to support both R&D and manufacturing to accelerate cell therapies from bench to bedside. This report introduces two models in this manufacturing platform: BECA-S for manual small-scale operation at R&D phase and BECA-Auto for functionally closed and automated scaled-out operation at manufacturing phase. We employed these two models to streamline transition of the T cell culture process from manual to automated and reported insignificant differences in the culture outcome between the two. Our work represents the first detailed development and demonstration of a standalone cell manufacturing platform that facilitates a seamless transition between manual and automated processing for autologous T cell therapy manufacturing. View Publication

Neurodevelopmental studies employing animal models encounter challenges due to interspecies differences and ethical concerns. Maturing neurons of human origin,undergoing several developmental stages,present a powerful alternative. In this study,human embryonic stem cell (H9 cell line) was differentiated into neural stem cells and subsequently matured into neurons over 30 days. Ion AmpliSeq™ was used for transcriptomic characterization of human stem cell-derived neurons at multiple time points. Data analysis revealed a progressive increase of markers associated with neuronal development and astrocyte markers,indicating the establishment of a co-culture accommodating both glial and neurons. Transcriptomic and pathway enrichment analysis also revealed a more pronounced GABAergic phenotype in the neurons,signifying their specialization toward this cell type. The findings confirm the robustness of these cells across different passages and demonstrate detailed progression through stages of development. The model is intended for neurodevelopmental applications and can be adapted to investigate how genetic modifications or exposure to chemicals,pharmaceuticals,and other environmental factors influence neurons and glial maturation. View Publication

The development of immunocompetent skin models marks a significant advancement in in vitro methods for detecting skin sensitizers while adhering to the 3R principles,which aim to reduce,refine,and replace animal testing. This study introduces for the first time an advanced immunocompetent skin model constructed entirely from induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cell types,including fibroblasts (iPSC-FB),keratinocytes (iPSC-KC),and fully integrated dendritic cells (iPSC-DC). To evaluate the skin model’s capacity,the model was treated topically with a range of well-characterized skin sensitizers varying in potency. The results indicate that the iPSC-derived immunocompetent skin model successfully replicates the physiological responses of human skin,offering a robust and reliable alternative to animal models for skin sensitization testing,allowing detection of extreme and even weak sensitizers. By addressing critical aspects of immune activation and cytokine signaling,this model provides an ethical,comprehensive tool for regulatory toxicology and dermatological research. View Publication

The airway epithelium provides a first line of defense against pathogens by release of antimicrobial factors and neutrophil-attracting chemokines. Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa,a Gram-negative bacterium that expresses flagellin as an important virulence factor,is a common cause of injurious airway inflammation. The aim of our study was to determine the contribution of flagellin to the inflammatory,antimicrobial,and metabolic responses of the airway epithelium to P. aeruginosa . Furthermore,as we previously showed that targeting mTOR limited the glycolytic and inflammatory response induced by flagellin,we assessed the effect of rapamycin on human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells stimulated with flagellated and non-flagellated P. aeruginosa. Primary pseudostratified HBE cells,cultured on an air-liquid-interface,were treated on the basolateral side with medium,vehicle or rapamycin,exposed on the apical side with flagellated or flagellin-deficient P. aeruginosa,and analyzed for their inflammatory,antimicrobial,and glycolytic responses. Flagellin augmented the P. aeruginosa -induced expression of antimicrobial factors and secretion of chemokines by HBE cells but did not further increase the glycolytic response. Treatment of HBE cells with rapamycin inhibited mTOR activation in general and flagellin-augmented mTOR activation in particular,but did not affect the glycolytic response. Rapamycin,however,diminished the flagellin-augmented inflammatory and antimicrobial response induced by Pseudomonas . These results demonstrate that flagellin is a significant factor that augments the inflammatory and antimicrobial response of human airway epithelial cells upon exposure to P. aeruginosa and suggest that mTOR inhibition by rapamycin in the airway epithelium diminishes these exaggerated responses. View Publication

Circulating cancer cells (CCCs) are closely related to the process of distant metastasis. In early step of the metastasis cascade,CCCs must evade the detachment-induced cell death (anoikis) for their survival. Here,we examined whether Na + /K + -ATPase α3-isoform (α3NaK) in CCCs contributes to avoidance of anoikis. In CCCs isolated from gastric cancer patients,α3NaK was predominantly localized in the plasma membrane (PM),but it moved to the cytoplasm when the CCCs were attached to culture dishes. The CCCs showed significant expression of integrin α5 but not fibronectin,one of components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In human gastric cancer MKN45 cells,digoxin (20 and 50 nM),a cardiac glycoside,significantly inhibited the enzyme activity and translocation (from cytoplasm to PM) of α3NaK,while they had no significant effect on ubiquitous Na + /K + -ATPase α1-isoform (α1NaK) in the PM. The translocation of α3NaK required the loss of ECM components from the cells. Additionally,digoxin significantly enhanced caspase 3/7 activity,as well as the expression of cleaved caspase 3,while reducing the viability of detached (floating) cells. In the MKN45 xenograft mouse model,intraperitoneal administration of digoxin (2 mg/kg/day) significantly decreased the number of CCCs and suppressed their liver metastasis. Our results suggest that α3NaK plays an essential role in the survival of CCCs in gastric cancer,and that digoxin enhances anoikis in detached (metastatic) gastric cancer cells by inhibiting the α3NaK translocation from cytoplasm to PM,thereby reducing CCCs. Targeting α3NaK may be a promising therapeutic strategy against CCC survival. Subject terms: Metastasis,Gastric cancer,Apoptosis View Publication

The tumor microenvironment and healing wounds both contain extremely high concentrations of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) compared to normal tissue. The P2Y2 receptor,an ATP-activated purinergic receptor,is typically associated with pulmonary,endothelial,and neurological cell signaling. Here,we examine ATP-dependent signaling in breast epithelial cells and how it is altered in metastatic breast cancer. Using rapid imaging techniques,we show how ATP-activated P2Y2 signaling causes an increase in intracellular Ca 2+ in non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cells,approximately 3-fold higher than their tumorigenic and metastatic counterparts. The non-tumorigenic cells respond to increased Ca 2+ with actin polymerization and localization to the cell edges after phalloidin staining,while the metastatic cells remain unaffected. The increase in intracellular Ca 2+ after ATP stimulation was blunted to control levels using a P2Y2 antagonist,which also prevented actin mobilization and significantly increased cell dissemination from spheroids in non-tumorigenic cells. Furthermore,the lack of Ca 2+ changes and actin mobilization in metastatic breast cancer cells could be due to the reduced P2Y2 expression,which correlates with poorer overall survival in breast cancer patients. This study elucidates the rapid changes that occur after elevated intracellular Ca 2+ in breast epithelial cells and how metastatic cancer cells have adapted to evade this cellular response. View Publication

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IVA is a bone-affecting lysosomal storage disease (LSD) caused by impaired degradation of the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) keratan sulfate (KS) and chondroitin 6-sulfate (C6S) due to deficient N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase (GALNS) enzyme activity. Previously,we successfully developed and validated a CRISPR/nCas9-based gene therapy (GT) to insert an expression cassette at the AAVS1 and ROSA26 loci in human MPS IVA fibroblasts and MPS IVA mice,respectively. In this study,we have extended our approach to evaluate the effectiveness of our CRISPR/nCas9-based GT in editing human CD34+ cells to mediate cross-correction of MPS IVA fibroblasts. CD34+ cells were electroporated with the CRISPR/nCas9 system,targeting the AAVS1 locus. The nCas9-mediated on-target donor template insertion,and the stemness of the CRISPR/nCas-edited CD34+ cells was evaluated. Additionally,MPS IVA fibroblasts were co-cultured with CRISPR/nCas-edited CD34+ cells to assess cross-correction. CRISPR/nCas9-based gene editing did not affect the stemness of CD34+ cells but did lead to supraphysiological levels of the GALNS enzyme. Upon co-culture,MPS IVA fibroblasts displayed a significant increase in the GALNS enzyme activity along with lysosomal mass reduction,pro-oxidant profile amelioration,mitochondrial mass recovery,and pro-apoptotic and pro-inflammatory profile improvement. These results show the potential of our CRISPR/nCas9-based GT to edit CD34+ cells to mediate cross-correction. View Publication