Project description:Polyglutamine expansion is associated with pathogenic protein aggregation in neurodegenerative disorders. However, long polyglutamine tracts are also found in many transcription factors (TFs), such as FOXP2, a TF implicated in human speech. Here, we explore how FOXP2 and other glutamine-rich TFs avoid unscheduled assembly. Throughout interphase, DNA binding, irrespective of sequence specificity, has a solubilizing effect. During mitosis, multiple phosphorylation events promote FOXP2’s eviction from chromatin and supplant the solubilizing function of DNA. Further, human-specific amino-acid substitutions linked to the evolution of speech map to a mitotic phospho-patch, the ‘EVO patch’, and reduce the propensity of the human FOXP2 to assemble. Fusing the pathogenic form of Huntingtin to either a DNA binding domain, a phospho-mimetic variant of this ‘EVO patch’ or a negatively charged peptide is sufficient to diminish assembly formation, suggesting that hijacking mechanisms governing solubility of glutamine-rich TFs may offer new strategies for treatment of polyQ expansion diseases.
Project description:References:
1. Xiaomei Zhu, Lan Yin, Leroy Hood, David Galas and Ping Ao, Efficiency, Robustness and Stochasticity of Gene Regulatory networks in Systems biology: Lambda switch as a working example, 2006.
2. Adam Arkin, John Ross and Harley H. McAdams, Stochastic kinetic analysis of developmental pathway bifurcation in phage lambda-infected Escherichia coli cells, 1998, Genetics, 149: 1633-1648.
3. GenBank sequence: NC_001416 is the whole genome sequence of phage lambda.
Project description:Evodiamine (Evo), a kind of alkaloid mostly extracted from Tetradium ruticarpum, which has many pharmacological functions, such as antidiarrheal, antiemetic, and antiulcer effects. In this study, the effects of Evo were investigated in DSS-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) mice and C57BL/6-ApcMinC/Gpt mice with colorectal cancer (CRC). The results showed Evo not only sup-pressed the weight loss and the shorthen of colon, decreased disease activity index (DAI) and ameliorated the pathological alteration of colon in UC mice, but also inhibited the numbers and sizes of colonic tumor of ApcMinC/Gpt mice. Meanwhiles, Evo regulated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) related signal pathways to mediate various cytokines such as interleukins (Ils), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) to achieve anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. In SW480 and Caco cells, Evo reduced the cell viabilities, promoted the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and caused the over-accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Theoretical evi-dences indicated Evo binding NF-κB may be useful to contain ordered domain (α helix) in NF-κB, which can induce NF-κB to perform its function. Our results provide experimental and theoretical evidence that Evo might be promising and effective treatments in clinics for UC and CRC.
Project description:Introduction: Lambda interferons signal through the interferon lambda receptor-1 (IFNLR1) and IL10RB heterodimer to induce interferon stimulated genes (ISGs). We previously showed that proteins derived from distinct IFNLR1 splice isoforms uniquely influence gene expression and HBV replication in stem cell-derived hepatocytes (iHeps). Here, we evaluated the mechanisms of signal transduction by full-length IFNLR1 (variant 1) and a truncated variant missing part of the cytoplasmic JAK1-interacting domain (variant 2). Methods: We evaluated HEK293T cells, wild-type (WT), and IFNLR1 knock-out (KO) iHeps with doxycycline-inducible expression FLAG-tagged IFNLR1 variants using the Duolink proximity ligation assay, ImageStream flow cytometry, western blotting of JAK-STAT proteins, susceptibility to JAK1 and TYK2 inhibitors, and gene expression profiling. Results: Each variant demonstrated IFNL-induced colocalization with IL10RB, but variant 1 was more rapidly and extensively internalized. In WT iHeps with intact endogenous IFNLR1, overexpression of either variant 1 or variant 2 enabled higher IFNL-induced JAK1, TYK2, STAT1 and STAT2 phosphorylation, yet variant 2 supported less robust ISG induction than variant 1. In iHeps with abrogated endogenous IFNLR1 expression, variant 2 supported less JAK1 and TYK2 phosphorylation and ISG induction than variant 1 yet was not deficient in supporting STAT1 and STAT2 phosphorylation. Select ISGs had differential constitutive expression in IFNL-untreated variant-expressing iHeps. In iHeps expressing variant 1, WT-iHeps were more resistant than KO-iHeps to TYK2-inhibition of antiviral ISG induction yet conversely were more susceptible to TYK2-inhibition of proinflammatory ISG induction, suggesting endogenously produced noncanonical variants influence the TYK2-dependence of IFNL signaling. Conclusions: IFNLR1 variants promote differential utilization of signaling mediators to influence IFNL-induced gene expression patterns, indicating a putative role in pathway regulation.
Project description:Lambda interferons IFNL1-3 mediate antiviral immunity by inducing interferon sensitive genes (ISGs) in epithelial tissues. Contrarily, a variant creating the functional gene IFNL4 is associated with impaired clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) despite of higher liver expression of ISGs in untreated HCV patients. We aimed to explore IFNL4 signaling mechanism by comparing expression profiles from human hepatic cell line clones with genetic modifications influencing the ISG signaling pathway (IFNLR1/IL10R2 knockouts, IFNL4/IFNL3 expression stimulation by transfection).
Project description:The Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has had devastating impacts on our global society. Although vaccines and monoclonal antibody countermeasures have reduced the morbidity and mortality associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, variants with constellations of mutations in the spike gene threaten their efficacy. Therefore, antiviral interventions that are resistant to further virus evolution may be needed. Here, we show IFN-λ protects against SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351 (Beta) and B.1.1529 (Omicron) variants in three strains of conventional and human ACE2 transgenic mice. Prophylaxis or therapy with nasally-delivered IFN-λ2 limited infection of historical or variant (B.1.351 and B.1.1.529) SARS-CoV-2 strains in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts without causing excessive inflammation. In the lung, IFN-λ was produced preferentially in epithelial cells and acted on radio-resistant cells to protect against of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, inhaled IFN-λ may have promise as a treatment for evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants that develop resistance to antibody-based countermeasures.