Project description:We constructed two different third generation anti-EphA2 chimeric antigen receptors(CARs) for glioblastoma treatment. They have the same transmembrane and intracellular domains. The only different is the extracellular domain. T cells transduced with these two different CARs exhibited different anti-tumor capacities and cytokine secretion. So RNA-seq was used to anaylze the different gene expression archetecture of these two CAR-T cells.
Project description:Our study provides compelling support to an effective CAR-T cell anti-aging intervention using NMN, a key NAD+ intermediate. We found the clinical potential of NMN for CAR-T cell immunotherapy for human cancers, attributed to their central memory phenotype. The cells are more viable, proliferative, and long-lived in vivo. Furthermore, these CAR-T cells exerted great antitumor efficacy against tumors in human xenograft mouse models. Detailed molecular mechanisms responsible for the pleiotropic effects of NMN need to be investigated further. So RNA-seq was used to analyze the different gene expression of these CAR-T cells.
Project description:We used Crispr/Cas9 technology to establish a homozygous clone of EphA2-SE deletion in tumor cells. Wild-type cells (WT) and homozygous cloned cells (EphA2-SE-/-) were selected for high-throughput data detection.
Project description:Purpose: To understand the relationship between ciliogenesis and autophagy in the corneal epithelium. Methods: siRNAs for EphA2 or PLD1 were used to inhibit protein expression in vitro. Morpholino-anti-EphA2 was used to knockdown EphA2 in Xenopus skin. An EphA2 knockout mouse was used to conduct loss of function studies. Autophagic vacuoles were visualized by contrast light microscopy. Autophagy flux, was measured by LC3 turnover and p62 protein levels. Immunostaining and confocal microscopy were conducted to visualize cilia in cultured cells and in vivo. Results: Loss of EphA2 (i) increased corneal epithelial thickness by elevating proliferative potential in wing cells, (ii) reduced the number of ciliated cells, (iii) increased large hollow vacuoles, that could be rescued by BafA1; (iv) inhibited autophagy flux and (v) increased GFP-LC3 puncta in the mouse corneal epithelium. This indicated a role for EphA2 in stratified epithelial assembly via regulation of proliferation as well as a positive role in both ciliogenesis and end-stage autophagy. Inhibition of PLD1, an EphA2 interacting protein that is a critical regulator of end-stage autophagy, reversed the accumulation of vacuoles, and the reduction in the number of ciliated cells due to EphA2 depletion, suggesting EphA2 regulation of both end-stage autophagy and ciliogenesis via PLD1. PLD1 mediated rescue of ciliogenesis by EphA2 depletion was blocked by BafA1, placing autophagy between EphA2 signaling and regulation of ciliogenesis. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate a novel role for EphA2 in regulating both autophagy and ciliogenesis, processes that are essential for proper corneal epithelial homeostasis. Purpose: To understand the relationship between ciliogenesis and autophagy in the corneal epithelium. Methods: siRNAs for EphA2 or PLD1 were used to inhibit protein expression in vitro. Morpholino-anti-EphA2 was used to knockdown EphA2 in Xenopus skin. An EphA2 knockout mouse was used to conduct loss of function studies. Autophagic vacuoles were visualized by contrast light microscopy. Autophagy flux, was measured by LC3 turnover and p62 protein levels. Immunostaining and confocal microscopy were conducted to visualize cilia in cultured cells and in vivo. Results: Loss of EphA2 (i) increased corneal epithelial thickness by elevating proliferative potential in wing cells, (ii) reduced the number of ciliated cells, (iii) increased large hollow vacuoles, that could be rescued by BafA1; (iv) inhibited autophagy flux and (v) increased GFP-LC3 puncta in the mouse corneal epithelium. This indicated a role for EphA2 in stratified epithelial assembly via regulation of proliferation as well as a positive role in both ciliogenesis and end-stage autophagy. Inhibition of PLD1, an EphA2 interacting protein that is a critical regulator of end-stage autophagy, reversed the accumulation of vacuoles, and the reduction in the number of ciliated cells due to EphA2 depletion, suggesting EphA2 regulation of both end-stage autophagy and ciliogenesis via PLD1. PLD1 mediated rescue of ciliogenesis by EphA2 depletion was blocked by BafA1, placing autophagy between EphA2 signaling and regulation of ciliogenesis. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate a novel role for EphA2 in regulating both autophagy and ciliogenesis, processes that are essential for proper corneal epithelial homeostasis.
Project description:Adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells is expected to become the first line of treatment for multiple malignancies, following the enormous success of anti-CD19 therapies. However, their mechanism of action is not fully understood, and clear guidelines for the design of safe and efficient receptors are missing. We hereby describe a systematic analysis of the CAR “signalosome” in human primary T cells. Two CAR designs were compared: a second-generation (PSCA2) and a third-generation (PSCA3) anti-PSCA CAR. Phosphorylation events triggered by CAR-mediated recognition of target cells were quantified by mass spectrometry.
Project description:Background: Although most patients with newly diagnosed high-risk neuroblastoma (NB) achieve remission after initial therapy, more than 50% experience late relapses caused by minimal residual disease (MRD) and succumb to their cancer. Therapy strategies to target MRD may benefit these children. We developed a new chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting glypican (GPC)2 and conducted iterative preclinical engineering of the CAR structure to maximize its anti-tumor efficacy before clinical translation. Methods: We evaluated different GPC2-CAR constructs by measuring the CAR activity against several NB cell lines in vitro. NOD-SCID mice engrafted with human NB cell lines or orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and treated with human CAR T cells served as in vivo models. Mechanistic studies were performed using single-cell RNA-sequencing. Results: Applying stringent in vitro assays and orthotopic in vivo NB models, we demonstrated that our single-chain variable fragment, CT3, integrated into a CAR backbone with a CD28 hinge, CD28 transmembrane, and 4-1BB co-stimulatory domain elicits the best preclinical anti-NB activity compared to other tested CAR constructs. This enhanced activity was associated with an enrichment of CD8+ effector T cells in the tumor-microenvironment and upregulation of several effector molecules such as GNLY, GZMB, ZNF683, and HMGN2. Finally, we also showed that the CT3.28H.BBζ CAR was more potent than a recently clinically tested GD2-targeted CAR to control NB in vivo. Conclusion: Given the robust preclinical activity of CT3.28H.BBζ, these promising results warrant further clinical testing in children with NB.
Project description:The receptor tyrosine kinase EPHA2 has gained interest as therapeutical drug target in cancer and infectious diseases in the past years. However, EPHA2 research and EPHA2 based therapies have been hampered by the lack of selective small molecule EPHA2 inhibitors. We report on the synthesis and evaluation of dedicated EPHA2 inhibitors based on the clinical BCR-ABL/SRC inhibitor Dasatinib as lead structure. We designed hybrid structures of Dasatinib, CHEBI-513815, PD-173955 and a known EPHB4 inhibitor aiming at the exploitation of the ATP pocket entrance and the ribose pocket. Medicinal chemistry and inhibitor design was guided by a chemical proteomic approach allowing for early selectivity profiling of the newly synthesized inhibitor candidates. Additionally, protein crystallography delivered detailed insight into the molecular interactions that consitute structure-affinity-relationships. Finally, the anti-proliferative effect of the inhibitor candidates was confirmed in the glioblastoma cell line SF-268. In this work, we discovered a novel EPHA2 inhibitor candidate 4a comprising an improved selectivity profile while maintaining potency against EPHA2 and anti-cancer activity in SF-268 cells.
Project description:To search proteins that interact with EphA2, EphA2 interactors were coimmunoprecipitated with anti-EphA2 antibody from 5-8F NPC cell extracts, separated on SDS-PAGE and stained with Coomassie blue , and non-immune IgG antibody instead of anti-EphA2 antibody served as control. All bands were excised, and subjected to in gel trypsin digestion and liquid chromatography and high-throughput mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis.As a result, a total of1352 proteins including ANXA1 and Cbl were identified .