参考文献

The production of insulin-producing $\beta$ cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in vitro represents a promising strategy for a cell-based therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus. To explore the cellular heterogeneity and temporal progression of endocrine progenitors and their progeny,we performed single-cell qPCR on more than 500 cells across several stages of in vitro differentiation of hESCs and compared them with human islets. We reveal distinct subpopulations along the endocrine differentiation path and an early lineage bifurcation toward either polyhormonal cells or $\beta$-like cells. We uncover several similarities and differences with mouse development and reveal that cells can take multiple paths to the same differentiation state,a principle that could be relevant to other systems. Notably,activation of the key $\beta$-cell transcription factor NKX6.1 can be initiated before or after endocrine commitment. The single-cell temporal resolution we provide can be used to improve the production of functional $\beta$ cells. View Publication

Immune checkpoint blockade therapies have shown clinical promise in a variety of cancers,but how tumor-infiltrating T cells are activated remains unclear. In this study,we explore the functions of PD-L1 on dendritic cells (DCs),which highly express PD-L1. We observe that PD-L1 on DC plays a critical role in limiting T cell responses. Type 1 conventional DCs are essential for PD-L1 blockade and they upregulate PD-L1 upon antigen uptake. Upregulation of PD-L1 on DC is mediated by type II interferon. While DCs are the major antigen presenting cells for cross-presenting tumor antigens to T cells,subsequent PD-L1 upregulation protects them from killing by cytotoxic T lymphocytes,yet dampens the antitumor responses. Blocking PD-L1 in established tumors promotes re-activation of tumor-infiltrating T cells for tumor control. Our study identifies a critical and dynamic role of PD-L1 on DC,which needs to be harnessed for better invigoration of antitumor immune responses. View Publication

H1N1 virus-induced excessive inflammatory response contributes to severe disease and high mortality rates. There is currently no effective strategy against virus infection in lung. The present study evaluated the protective roles of a natural compound,lapiferin,in H1N1 virus-induced pulmonary inflammation in mice and in cultured human bronchial epithelial cells. Initially,Balb/C mice were grouped as Control,H1N1 infection (intranasally infected with 500 plaque-forming units of H1N1 virus),lapiferin (10 mg/kg),and H1N1+lapiferin (n=10/group). Lung histology,expression of inflammatory factors,and survival rates were assessed after 14 days of exposure. Administration of lapiferin significantly alleviated the virus-induced inflammatory infiltrate in lung tissues. Major pro-inflammatory cytokines,such as interleukin (IL)-1$\beta$,IL-6,and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$,were decreased at both mRNA and protein levels by lapiferin administration in the lung homogenate. Lapiferin also reduced inflammatory cell numbers in bronchoalveolar fluid. Mechanistically,lapiferin suppressed the transcriptional activity and protein expression of NF-$\kappa$B p65,causing inhibition on NF-$\kappa$B signaling. Pre-incubation of human bronchial epithelial cells with an NF-$\kappa$B signaling specific activator,ceruletide,significantly blunted lapiferin-mediated inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion in an air-liquid-interface cell culture experiment. Activation of NF-$\kappa$B signaling also blunted lapiferin-ameliorated inflammatory infiltrate in lungs. These results suggested that lapiferin was a potent natural compound that served as a therapeutic agent for virus infection in the lung. View Publication

In neuronal growth cones,the advancing tips of elongating axons and dendrites,specific protein substrates appear to undergo cycles of posttranslational modification by covalent attachment and removal of long-chain fatty acids. We show here that ongoing fatty acylation can be inhibited selectively by long-chain homologues of the antibiotic tunicamycin,a known inhibitor of N-linked glycosylation. Tunicamycin directly inhibits transfer of palmitate to protein in a cell-free system,indicating that tunicamycin inhibition of protein palmitoylation reflects an action of the drug separate from its previously established effects on glycosylation. Tunicamycin treatment of differentiated PC12 cells or dissociated rat sensory neurons,under conditions in which protein palmitoylation is inhibited,produces a prompt cessation of neurite elongation and induces a collapse of neuronal growth cones. These growth cone responses are rapidly reversed by washout of the antibiotic,even in the absence of protein synthesis,or by addition of serum. Two additional lines of evidence suggest that the effects of tunicamycin on growth cones arise from its ability to inhibit protein long-chain acylation,rather than its previously established effects on protein glycosylation and synthesis. (a) The abilities of different tunicamycin homologues to induce growth cone collapse very systematically with the length of the fatty acyl side-chain of tunicamycin,in a manner predicted and observed for the inhibition of protein palmitoylation. Homologues with fatty acyl moieties shorter than palmitic acid (16 hydrocarbons),including potent inhibitors of glycosylation,are poor inhibitors of growth cone function. (b) The tunicamycin-induced impairment of growth cone function can be reversed by the addition of excess exogenous fatty acid,which reverses the inhibition of protein palmitoylation but has no effect on the inhibition of protein glycosylation. These results suggest an important role for dynamic protein acylation in growth cone-mediated extension of neuronal processes. View Publication

BACKGROUND Chronic rhinosinusitis patients (CRS) suffer from chronic inflammation of the sinus mucosa associated with chronic relapsing infections. Mucosal biofilms,associated with Staphylococcus aureus,have been implicated as a cause. We compared the effect of exoproteins secreted from clinical isolates of S aureus from CRS patients in planktonic and biofilm form on the nasal epithelial barrier. METHODS Clinical S aureus isolates from 39 CRS patients were grown in planktonic and biofilm forms and their exoproteins concentrated. These were applied to primary human nasal epithelial cells grown at the air-liquid interface. Transepithelial electrical resistance,permeability of flourescein isothiocyanate-dextrans,and cytotoxicity were measured. Structure and expression of tight junctions zona occludens-1,and claudin-1 proteins were assessed by electron microscopy and immunofluorescence. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for statistical analyses. RESULTS S aureus biofilm exoproteins showed dose- and time-dependent reduction of transepithelial electrical resistance,increased cell toxicity,and increased permeability (p {\textless} 0.001) compared with equal concentrations of planktonic cultures. Discontinuity in zona occludens-1 and claudin-1 immunofluorescence was confirmed as disrupted tight junctions on electron microscopy. CONCLUSION S aureus biofilm exoproteins disrupt the mucosal barrier structure in a time- and dose-dependent manner and are toxic. Damage to the mucosal barrier by S aureus biofilm exoproteins may play a major role in CRS etiopathogenesis. View Publication

The generation of insulin-producing pancreatic $\beta$ cells from stem cells in vitro would provide an unprecedented cell source for drug discovery and cell transplantation therapy in diabetes. However,insulin-producing cells previously generated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) lack many functional characteristics of bona fide $\beta$ cells. Here,we report a scalable differentiation protocol that can generate hundreds of millions of glucose-responsive $\beta$ cells from hPSC in vitro. These stem-cell-derived $\beta$ cells (SC-$\beta$) express markers found in mature $\beta$ cells,flux Ca(2+) in response to glucose,package insulin into secretory granules,and secrete quantities of insulin comparable to adult $\beta$ cells in response to multiple sequential glucose challenges in vitro. Furthermore,these cells secrete human insulin into the serum of mice shortly after transplantation in a glucose-regulated manner,and transplantation of these cells ameliorates hyperglycemia in diabetic mice. View Publication

Antiviral strategies to inhibit Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) and the pathogenic consequences of COVID-19 are urgently required. Here,we demonstrate that the NRF2 antioxidant gene expression pathway is suppressed in biopsies obtained from COVID-19 patients. Further,we uncover that NRF2 agonists 4-octyl-itaconate (4-OI) and the clinically approved dimethyl fumarate (DMF) induce a cellular antiviral program that potently inhibits replication of SARS-CoV2 across cell lines. The inhibitory effect of 4-OI and DMF extends to the replication of several other pathogenic viruses including Herpes Simplex Virus-1 and-2,Vaccinia virus,and Zika virus through a type I interferon (IFN)-independent mechanism. In addition,4-OI and DMF limit host inflammatory responses to SARS-CoV2 infection associated with airway COVID-19 pathology. In conclusion,NRF2 agonists 4-OI and DMF induce a distinct IFN-independent antiviral program that is broadly effective in limiting virus replication and in suppressing the pro-inflammatory responses of human pathogenic viruses,including SARS-CoV2. View Publication

The protease responsible for the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and necessary for apoptosis has been purified and characterized. This enzyme,named apopain,is composed of two subunits of relative molecular mass (M(r)) 17K and 12K that are derived from a common proenzyme identified as CPP32. This proenzyme is related to interleukin-1 beta-converting enzyme (ICE) and CED-3,the product of a gene required for programmed cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans. A potent peptide aldehyde inhibitor has been developed and shown to prevent apoptotic events in vitro,suggesting that apopain/CPP32 is important for the initiation of apoptotic cell death. View Publication

In situ molecular architecture analysis of organelles and protein assemblies is essential to understanding the role of individual components and their cellular function,and to engineering new molecular functionalities. Through a super-resolution-driven approach,here we characterize the organization of the ciliary basal foot,an appendage of basal bodies whose main role is to provide a point of anchoring to the microtubule cytoskeleton. Quantitative image analysis shows that the basal foot is organized into three main regions linked by elongated coiled-coil proteins,revealing a conserved modular architecture in primary and motile cilia,but showing distinct features reflecting its specialized functions. Using domain-specific BioID proximity labeling and super-resolution imaging,we identify CEP112 as a basal foot protein and other candidate components of this assembly,aiding future investigations on the role of basal foot across different cilia systems. View Publication

Mutations in nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2) cause Blau syndrome,an inflammatory disorder characterized by uveitis. The antimicrobial functions of Nod2 are well-established,yet the cellular mechanisms by which dysregulated Nod2 causes uveitis remain unknown. Here,we report a non-conventional,T cell-intrinsic function for Nod2 in suppression of Th17 immunity and experimental uveitis. Reconstitution of lymphopenic hosts with Nod2-/- CD4+ T cells or retina-specific autoreactive CD4+ T cells lacking Nod2 reveals a T cell-autonomous,Rip2-independent mechanism for Nod2 in uveitis. In naive animals,Nod2 operates downstream of TCR ligation to suppress activation of memory CD4+ T cells that associate with an autoreactive-like profile involving IL-17 and Ccr7. Interestingly,CD4+ T cells from two Blau syndrome patients show elevated IL-17 and increased CCR7. Our data define Nod2 as a T cell-intrinsic rheostat of Th17 immunity,and open new avenues for T cell-based therapies for Nod2-associated disorders such as Blau syndrome. View Publication