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Zhu CX, Yan K, Chen L, Huang RR, Bian ZH, Wei HR, Gu XM, Zhao YY, Liu MC, Suo CX, Li ZK, Yang ZY, Lu MQ, Hua XF, Li L, Zhao ZB, Sun LC, Zhang HF, Gao P, Lian ZX. Targeting OXCT1-mediated ketone metabolism reprograms macrophages to promote antitumor immunity via CD8 + T cells in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol 2024:S0168-8278(24)00342-8. [PMID: 38759889 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The liver is the main organ of ketogenesis, while ketones are mainly metabolized in peripheral tissues via the critical enzyme OXCT1. We previously found that ketolysis is reactivated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells through OXCT1 expression to promote tumor progression; however, whether OXCT1 regulates antitumor immunity remains unclear. METHODS To investigate the expression pattern of OXCT1 in hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo, we conducted multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) experiments on human HCC specimens. To explore the role of OXCT1 in mouse hepatocellular carcinoma tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), we generated LysMcreOXCT1f/f (OXCT1 conditional knockout in macrophages) mice. RESULTS Here, we found that inhibiting OXCT1 expression in tumor-associated macrophages reduced CD8+ T-cell exhaustion through the succinate-H3K4me3-Arg1 axis. Initially, we found that OXCT1 was highly expressed in liver macrophages under steady state and that OXCT expression was further increased in TAMs. OXCT1 deficiency in macrophages suppressed tumor growth by reprogramming TAMs toward an antitumor phenotype, reducing CD8+ T-cell exhaustion and increasing CD8+ T-cell cytotoxicity. Mechanistically, high OXCT1 expression induced the accumulation of succinate, a byproduct of ketolysis, in TAMs, which promoted Arg1 transcription by increasing the H3K4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) level in the Arg1 promoter. In addition, Pimozide, an inhibitor of OXCT1, suppressed Arg1 expression as well as TAM polarization toward the protumor phenotype, leading to decreasing CD8+ T-cell exhaustion and deceleration of tumor growth. Finally, high expression of OXCT1 in macrophages was positively associated with poor survival in HCC patients. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, our results demonstrate that OXCT1 epigenetically suppresses antitumor immunity, suggesting that suppressing OXCT1 activity in TAMs is an effective approach for treating liver cancer. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS The intricate metabolism of liver macrophages plays a critical role in shaping HCC progression and immune modulation. Targeting macrophage metabolism to counteract immune suppression presents a promising avenue for HCC. Here, we found that ketogenesis gene OXCT1 was highly expressed in tumor-associated macrophages and promoted tumor growth by reprogramming TAMs toward a protumor phenotype. And the strategic pharmacological intervention or genetic downregulation of OXCT1 in TAMs enhances the antitumor immunity and decelerated tumor growth. Our results suggest that suppressing OXCT1 activity in TAMs is an effective approach for treating liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chu-Xu Zhu
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kai Yan
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang Chen
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rong-Rong Huang
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhen-Hua Bian
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou International Campus, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao-Ran Wei
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xue-Mei Gu
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang-Yang Zhao
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China; Biomedical Engineering Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
| | - Meng-Chu Liu
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou International Campus, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cai-Xia Suo
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Kun Li
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Yi Yang
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou International Campus, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min-Qiang Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xue-Feng Hua
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang Li
- Medical Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Bin Zhao
- Medical Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lin-Chong Sun
- Medical Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hua-Feng Zhang
- The Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ping Gao
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Zhe-Xiong Lian
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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Weng G, Tao J, Liu Y, Qiu J, Su D, Wang R, Luo W, Zhang T. Organoid: Bridging the gap between basic research and clinical practice. Cancer Lett 2023; 572:216353. [PMID: 37599000 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, the diagnosis and treatment system of malignant tumors has increasingly tended to be more precise and personalized while the existing tumor models are still unable to fully meet the needs of clinical practice. Notably, the emerging organoid platform has been proven to have huge potential in the field of basic-translational medicine, which is expected to promote a paradigm shift in personalized medicine. Here, given the unique advantages of organoid platform, we mainly explore the prominent role of organoid models in basic research and clinical practice from perspectives of tumor biology, tumorigenic microbes-host interaction, clinical decision-making, and regenerative strategy. In addition, we also put forward some practical suggestions on how to construct a new generation of organoid platform, which is destined to vigorously promote the reform of basic-translational medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guihu Weng
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No.1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Jinxin Tao
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No.1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Yueze Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No.1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Jiangdong Qiu
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No.1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Dan Su
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No.1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Ruobing Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No.1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Wenhao Luo
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No.1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Taiping Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No.1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China.
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Chen Y, Liu Y, Chen S, Zhang L, Rao J, Lu X, Ma Y. Liver organoids: a promising three-dimensional model for insights and innovations in tumor progression and precision medicine of liver cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1180184. [PMID: 37334366 PMCID: PMC10272526 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1180184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary liver cancer (PLC) is one type of cancer with high incidence rate and high mortality rate in the worldwide. Systemic therapy is the major treatment for PLC, including surgical resection, immunotherapy and targeted therapy. However, mainly due to the heterogeneity of tumors, responses to the above drug therapy differ from person to person, indicating the urgent needs for personalized treatment for PLC. Organoids are 3D models derived from adult liver tissues or pluripotent stem cells. Based on the ability to recapitulate the genetic and functional features of in vivo tissues, organoids have assisted biomedical research to make tremendous progress in understanding disease origin, progression and treatment strategies since their invention and application. In liver cancer research, liver organoids contribute greatly to reflecting the heterogeneity of liver cancer and restoring tumor microenvironment (TME) by co-organizing tumor vasculature and stromal components in vitro. Therefore, they provide a promising platform for further investigation into the biology of liver cancer, drug screening and precision medicine for PLC. In this review, we discuss the recent advances of liver organoids in liver cancer, in terms of generation methods, application in precision medicine and TME modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukun Chen
- Organ Transplant Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yujun Liu
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shimin Chen
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiawei Rao
- Organ Transplant Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology (Organ Transplantation), The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinjun Lu
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Ma
- Organ Transplant Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Donation and Transplant Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial International Cooperation Base of Science and Technology (Organ Transplantation), The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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4
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Wang Y, Xiang X, Chen H, Zhou L, Chen S, Zhang G, Liu X, Ren X, Liu J, Kuang M, Jiang J, She J, Zhang Z, Xue R, Jiang H, Wang J, Peng S. Intratumoral erythroblastic islands restrain anti-tumor immunity in hepatoblastoma. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101044. [PMID: 37196629 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Erythroblastic islands (EBIs) are the specialized structures for erythropoiesis, but they have never been found functional in tumors. As the most common pediatric liver malignancy, hepatoblastoma (HB) requires more effective and safer therapies to prevent progression and the lifelong impact of complications on young children. However, developing such therapies is impeded by a lack of comprehensive understanding of the tumor microenvironment. By single-cell RNA sequencing of 13 treatment-naive HB patients, we discover an immune landscape characterized by aberrant accumulation of EBIs, formed by VCAM1+ macrophages and erythroid cells, which is inversely correlated with survival of HB. Erythroid cells inhibit the function of dendritic cells (DCs) via the LGALS9/TIM3 axis, leading to impaired anti-tumor T cell immune responses. Encouragingly, TIM3 blockades relieve the inhibitory effect of erythroid cells on DCs. Our study provides an immune evasion mechanism mediated by intratumoral EBIs and proposes TIM3 as a promising therapeutic target for HB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanqi Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Center of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Xiang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Center of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huadong Chen
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Luyao Zhou
- Division of Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shuling Chen
- Division of Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guopei Zhang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Center of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofei Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuxin Ren
- Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Juncheng Liu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming Kuang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Center of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Division of Interventional Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Cancer Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Jiang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinbiao She
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhichong Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruidong Xue
- Translational Cancer Research, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Ji Wang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Sui Peng
- Department of Liver Surgery, Center of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China; Clinical Trials Unit, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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5
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Wei J, Zhang W, Zhao B. Human liver organoid: modeling liver steatosis and beyond. Cell Regen 2023; 12:17. [PMID: 37009924 PMCID: PMC10068683 DOI: 10.1186/s13619-023-00161-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Steatosis, as the early stage of nonalcoholic fatty acid disease (NAFLD), would progress into nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver failure without intervention. Despite the development of animal models, there is still a lack of the human-relevant platform for steatosis modeling and drug & target discovery. Hendriks et al., reporting in Nature Biotechnology, leveraged human fetal liver organoids to recapitulate steatosis by introducing nutritional and genetic triggers. Using these engineered liver organoid-derived steatosis models, they screened drugs that alleviate steatosis, and mined common mechanism of effective compounds. Further, inspired by the results of drug screening, the arrayed CRISPR-LOF screening targeting 35 lipid metabolism genes was performed, and FADS2 was identified as a critical regulator of steatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 200438, Shanghai, China
- Greater Bay Area Institute of Precision Medicine (Guangzhou), Fudan University, Nansha District, 511458, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Institute of Organoid Technology, bioGenous Biotechnology, Inc, 215125, Suzhou, China
| | - Bing Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 200438, Shanghai, China.
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Yang R, Yang L, Long M, Wu F, Shi Y, Xia R, Lv J, Zhang Y, Lei Y, Jiao Y, Zhao C, Wang H, Wei W. Taurodeoxycholic acid-YAP1 upregulates OTX1 in promoting gallbladder cancer malignancy through IFITM3-dependent AKT activation. Oncogene 2023. [PMID: 36928361 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02660-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Orthodenticle homeobox (OTX1) is reported to be involved in numerous cancers, but the expression level and molecular function of OTX1 in gallbladder cancer (GBC) remain unknown. Here, we found the elevated level of OTX1 associated with poor prognosis in human gallbladder cancer. In vitro and in vivo studies of human gallbladder cancer cell lines demonstrated that overexpression of OTX1 promoted cell proliferation, whereas the downregulation inhibited it. Additionally, we found a tight correlation between the serum level of taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA) and OTX1 expression. TDCA-induced activation of YAP1 by phosphorylation inhibition contributed to the transcriptional activation of OTX1. Mechanistically, we identified that OTX1 activated AKT signaling pathway by transactivating the expression of IFITM3 and thus promoted the proliferation of GBC cells. Taken together, our results showed that TDCA-YAP1-dependent expression of OTX1 regulated IFITM3 and affected GBC proliferation via the AKT signaling pathway. Our experiments also suggested that OTX1 is a novel therapeutic target for GBC.
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Zhou B, Ding M, Feng J, Ji B, Huang P, Zhang J, Yu X, Cao Z, Yang Y, Zhou Y, Wang J. EVlncRNA-Dpred: improved prediction of experimentally validated lncRNAs by deep learning. Brief Bioinform 2022; 24:6961472. [PMID: 36573492 PMCID: PMC9851331 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) played essential roles in nearly every biological process and disease. Many algorithms were developed to distinguish lncRNAs from mRNAs in transcriptomic data and facilitated discoveries of more than 600 000 of lncRNAs. However, only a tiny fraction (<1%) of lncRNA transcripts (~4000) were further validated by low-throughput experiments (EVlncRNAs). Given the cost and labor-intensive nature of experimental validations, it is necessary to develop computational tools to prioritize those potentially functional lncRNAs because many lncRNAs from high-throughput sequencing (HTlncRNAs) could be resulted from transcriptional noises. Here, we employed deep learning algorithms to separate EVlncRNAs from HTlncRNAs and mRNAs. For overcoming the challenge of small datasets, we employed a three-layer deep-learning neural network (DNN) with a K-mer feature as the input and a small convolutional neural network (CNN) with one-hot encoding as the input. Three separate models were trained for human (h), mouse (m) and plant (p), respectively. The final concatenated models (EVlncRNA-Dpred (h), EVlncRNA-Dpred (m) and EVlncRNA-Dpred (p)) provided substantial improvement over a previous model based on support-vector-machines (EVlncRNA-pred). For example, EVlncRNA-Dpred (h) achieved 0.896 for the area under receiver-operating characteristic curve, compared with 0.582 given by sequence-based EVlncRNA-pred model. The models developed here should be useful for screening lncRNA transcripts for experimental validations. EVlncRNA-Dpred is available as a web server at https://www.sdklab-biophysics-dzu.net/EVlncRNA-Dpred/index.html, and the data and source code can be freely available along with the web server.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailing Zhou
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Maolin Ding
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Jing Feng
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Baohua Ji
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Pingping Huang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Junye Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Xue Yu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Zanxia Cao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Yuedong Yang
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | - Yaoqi Zhou
- Corresponding authors: Yaoqi Zhou, Institute for Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China. Tel.: +86 (755) 6275 2684; E-mail: ; Jihua Wang, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China. Tel.: +86 (534) 898 5933; E-mail:
| | - Jihua Wang
- Corresponding authors: Yaoqi Zhou, Institute for Systems and Physical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China. Tel.: +86 (755) 6275 2684; E-mail: ; Jihua Wang, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China. Tel.: +86 (534) 898 5933; E-mail:
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Andi B, Kumaran D, Kreitler DF, Soares AS, Keereetaweep J, Jakoncic J, Lazo EO, Shi W, Fuchs MR, Sweet RM, Shanklin J, Adams PD, Schmidt JG, Head MS, McSweeney S. Hepatitis C virus NS3/4A inhibitors and other drug-like compounds as covalent binders of SARS-CoV-2 main protease. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12197. [PMID: 35842458 PMCID: PMC9287821 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15930-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), threatens global public health. The world needs rapid development of new antivirals and vaccines to control the current pandemic and to control the spread of the variants. Among the proteins synthesized by the SARS-CoV-2 genome, main protease (Mpro also known as 3CLpro) is a primary drug target, due to its essential role in maturation of the viral polyproteins. In this study, we provide crystallographic evidence, along with some binding assay data, that three clinically approved anti hepatitis C virus drugs and two other drug-like compounds covalently bind to the Mpro Cys145 catalytic residue in the active site. Also, molecular docking studies can provide additional insight for the design of new antiviral inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 using these drugs as lead compounds. One might consider derivatives of these lead compounds with higher affinity to the Mpro as potential COVID-19 therapeutics for further testing and possibly clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Andi
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA. .,National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Desigan Kumaran
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA. .,National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Dale F Kreitler
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Alexei S Soares
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | | | - Jean Jakoncic
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Edwin O Lazo
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Wuxian Shi
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Martin R Fuchs
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Robert M Sweet
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - John Shanklin
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Paul D Adams
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.,National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jurgen G Schmidt
- Bioscience Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA.,National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Martha S Head
- Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.,National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Sean McSweeney
- Center for BioMolecular Structure, NSLS-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA. .,Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA. .,National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL), US Department of Energy, Washington, DC, USA.
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9
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Yin P, Li S, Li XJ, Yang W. New pathogenic insights from large animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. Protein Cell 2022. [PMID: 35334073 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-022-00912-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models are essential for investigating the pathogenesis and developing the treatment of human diseases. Identification of genetic mutations responsible for neurodegenerative diseases has enabled the creation of a large number of small animal models that mimic genetic defects found in the affected individuals. Of the current animal models, rodents with genetic modifications are the most commonly used animal models and provided important insights into pathogenesis. However, most of genetically modified rodent models lack overt neurodegeneration, imposing challenges and obstacles in utilizing them to rigorously test the therapeutic effects on neurodegeneration. Recent studies that used CRISPR/Cas9-targeted large animal (pigs and monkeys) have uncovered important pathological events that resemble neurodegeneration in the patient’s brain but could not be produced in small animal models. Here we highlight the unique nature of large animals to model neurodegenerative diseases as well as the limitations and challenges in establishing large animal models of neurodegenerative diseases, with focus on Huntington disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson diseases. We also discuss how to use the important pathogenic insights from large animal models to make rodent models more capable of recapitulating important pathological features of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Gao H, Xu C, Liang J, Ge S, Zhang F, Tuo Y, Shi H, Han A. Pan-cancer analysis of oncogenic role of Programmed Cell Death 2 Like (PDCD2L) and validation in colorectal cancer. Cancer Cell Int 2022; 22:100. [PMID: 35216602 PMCID: PMC8881831 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-022-02525-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Programmed Cell Death 2 Like (PDCD2L) correlates with cell proliferation, apoptosis and mouse embryonic development. However, the role of PDCD2L in human cancers is unclear. Methods Multiple bioinformatic methods, in vitro function experiments and validation were performed to clarify the oncogenic role of PDCD2L in human cancers. Results Our study found that PDCD2L was aberrantly expressed in multiple types of human cancers, and associated with clinical stage and molecular subtype. Furthermore, overexpression of PDCD2L predicted poor overall survival in adrenocortical carcinoma(ACC), kidney chromophobe(KICH), acute myeloid leukemia(LAML), brain lower grade glioma(LGG),liver hepatocellular carcinoma(LIHC), mesothelioma(MESO), uveal melanoma(UVM) and poor diseases free survival in ACC, bladder urothelial carcinoma(BLCA), cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC), kidney renal clear cell carcinoma(KIRC), kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma(KIRP), LGG, LIHC, and UVM. PDCD2L expression was negatively associated with cancer associated fibroblast in breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA), lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), sarcoma (SARC), stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) and testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT). Mechanically, we found that PDCD2L expression was associated with apoptosis, invasion and cell cycle by investigating single cell sequencing data. For further validation, PDCD2Lwas highly expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines and tissue samples compared with the normal colon cell line and non-tumor adjacent colorectal mucosa tissues. PDCD2L knockdown induced the apoptosis and proliferation of CRC cells. Conclusions Our study shows that the oncogenic role of PDCD2L in various cancers and PDCD2L could be served as a biomarker of CRC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-022-02525-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huabin Gao
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58, Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Cheng Xu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58, Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jiangtao Liang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58, Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Songhan Ge
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58, Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Fenfen Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58, Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Ying Tuo
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58, Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Huijuan Shi
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58, Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
| | - Anjia Han
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58, Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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Abstract
The 14-3-3 family proteins are vital scaffold proteins that ubiquitously expressed in various tissues. They interact with numerous protein targets and mediate many cellular signaling pathways. The 14-3-3 binding motifs are often embedded in intrinsically disordered regions which are closely associated with liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). In the past ten years, LLPS has been observed for a variety of proteins and biological processes, indicating that LLPS plays a fundamental role in the formation of membraneless organelles and cellular condensates. While extensive investigations have been performed on 14-3-3 proteins, its involvement in LLPS is overlooked. To date, 14-3-3 proteins have not been reported to undergo LLPS alone or regulate LLPS of their binding partners. To reveal the potential involvement of 14-3-3 proteins in LLPS, in this review, we summarized the LLPS propensity of 14-3-3 binding partners and found that about one half of them may undergo LLPS spontaneously. We further analyzed the phase separation behavior of representative 14-3-3 binders and discussed how 14-3-3 proteins may be involved. By modulating the conformation and valence of interactions and recruiting other molecules, we speculate that 14-3-3 proteins can efficiently regulate the functions of their targets in the context of LLPS. Considering the critical roles of 14-3-3 proteins, there is an urgent need for investigating the involvement of 14-3-3 proteins in the phase separation process of their targets and the underling mechanisms.
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Chu Q, Liu F, He Y, Jiang X, Cai Y, Wu Z, Yan K, Geng L, Zhang Y, Feng H, Zhou K, Wang S, Zhang W, Liu GH, Ma S, Qu J, Song M. mTORC2/RICTOR exerts differential levels of metabolic control in human embryonic, mesenchymal and neural stem cells. Protein Cell 2022. [PMID: 35038130 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-021-00898-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
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Abstract
Recent advances in human organoid technology have greatly facilitated the study of organ development and pathology. In most cases, these organoids are derived from either pluripotent stem cells or adult stem cells for the modeling of developmental events and tissue homeostasis. However, due to the lack of human fetal tissue references and research model, it is still challenging to capture early developmental changes and underlying mechanisms in human embryonic development. The establishment of fetal tissue–derived organoids in rigorous time points is necessary. Here we provide an overview of the strategies and applications of fetal tissue–derived organoids, mainly focusing on fetal organ development research, developmental defect disease modeling, and organ–organ interaction study. Discussion of the importance of fetal tissue research also highlights the prospects and challenges in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianqing Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yateng Dong
- bioGenous Biotechnology, Inc., Hangzhou, China
| | - Bing Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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