Biology subjects

DeCaprio, J. A.

Publications and source records attributed to DeCaprio, J. A..

7 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

Integrative analysis reveals therapeutic potential of pyrvinium pamoate in Merkel cell carcinoma

Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine cutaneous malignancy arising from either ultraviolet-induced mutagenesis or Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) integration. Despite extensive research, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving the transition from normal cells to MCC remains limited. To address this knowledge gap, we assessed the impact of inducible MCPyV T antigens on normal human fibroblasts by performing RNA sequencing. Our data uncovered changes in expression and regulation of Wnt signaling pathway members. Building on this observation, we bioinformatically evaluated various Wnt pathway perturbagens for their ability to reverse the MCC gene expression signature and identified pyrvinium pamoate, an FDA-approved anthelminthic drug known for its anti-tumor activity in other cancers. Leveraging transcriptomic, network, and molecular analyses, we found that pyrvinium targets multiple MCC vulnerabilities. Pyrvinium not only reverses the neuroendocrine features of MCC by modulating canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling but also inhibits cancer cell growth by activating p53-mediated apoptosis, disrupting mitochondrial function, and inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress. Finally, we demonstrated that pyrvinium reduces tumor growth in an MCC mouse xenograft model. These findings offer a new understanding of the role of Wnt signaling in MCC and highlight the utility of pyrvinium as a potential treatment for MCC.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2021

TargetGeneReg 2.0: a comprehensive web-atlas for p53, p63, and cell cycle-dependent gene regulation

In recent years, our web-atlas at www.TargetGeneReg.org has enabled many researchers to uncover new biological insights and to identify novel regulatory mechanisms that affect p53 and the cell cycle - signaling pathways that are frequently dysregulated in diseases like cancer. Here, we provide a substantial upgrade of the database that comprises an extension to include non-coding genes and the transcription factors {Delta}Np63 and RFX7. TargetGeneReg 2.0 combines gene expression profiling and transcription factor DNA binding data to determine, for each gene, the response to p53, {Delta}Np63, and cell cycle signaling. It can be used to dissect common, cell type, and treatment-specific effects, identify the most promising candidates, and validate findings. We demonstrate the increased power and more intuitive layout of the resource using realistic examples.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2021

The Transcriptome Architecture of Polyomaviruses

Polyomaviruses (PyV) are ubiquitous pathogens that can cause devastating human diseases. Due to the small size of their genomes, PyV utilize complex patterns of RNA splicing to maximize their coding capacity. Despite the importance of PyV to human disease, their transcriptome architecture is poorly characterized. Here, we compare short- and long-read RNA sequencing data from eight human and non-human PyV. We provide a detailed transcriptome atlas for BK polyomavirus (BKPyV), an important human pathogen, and the prototype PyV, simian virus 40 (SV40). We identify pervasive wraparound transcription in PyV, wherein transcription runs through the polyA site and circles the genome multiple times. Comparative analyses identify novel, conserved transcripts that increase PyV coding capacity. One of these conserved transcripts encodes superT, a T antigen containing two RB-binding LxCxE motifs. We find that superT-encoding transcripts are abundant in PyV-associated human cancers. Together, we show that comparative transcriptomic approaches can greatly expand known transcript and coding capacity in one of the simplest and most well-studied viral families.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

An international report on bacterial communities in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The incidence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is disproportionately high in the eastern corridor of Africa and parts of Asia. Emerging research has identified a potential association between poor oral health and ESCC. One proposed biological pathway linking poor oral health and ESCC involves the alteration of the microbiome. Thus, we performed an integrated analysis of four independent sequencing efforts of ESCC tumors from patients from high- and low-incidence regions of the world. Using whole genome sequencing (WGS) and RNA sequencing (RNAseq) of ESCC tumors and WGS of synchronous collections of saliva specimens from 61 patients in Tanzania, we identified a community of bacteria, including members of the genera Fusobacterium, Selenomonas, Prevotella, Streptococcus, Porphyromonas, Veillonella, and Campylobacter, present at high abundance in ESCC tumors. We then characterized the microbiome of 238 ESCC tumor specimens collected in two additional independent sequencing efforts consisting of patients from other high-ESCC incidence regions (Tanzania, Malawi, Kenya, Iran, China). This analysis revealed a similar tumor enrichment of the ESCC-associated bacterial community in these cancers. Because these genera are traditionally considered members of the oral microbiota, we explored if there is a relationship between the synchronous saliva and tumor microbiomes of ESCC patients in Tanzania. Comparative analyses revealed that paired saliva and tumor microbiomes are significantly similar with a specific enrichment of Fusobacterium and Prevotella in the tumor microbiome. Together, these data indicate that cancer-associated oral bacteria are associated with ESCC tumors at the time of diagnosis and support a model in which oral bacteria are present in high abundance in both saliva and tumors of ESCC patients. Longitudinal studies of the pre-diagnostic oral microbiome are needed to investigate whether these cross-sectional similarities reflect temporal associations.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2020

Noncanonical junctions in subgenomic RNAs of SARS-CoV-2 lead to variant open reading frames.

BackgroundSARS-CoV-2, a positive-sense RNA virus in the family Coronaviridae, has caused a worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 Coronaviruses generate a tiered series of subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs) through a process involving homology between transcriptional regulatory sequences (TRS) located after the leader sequence in the 5 UTR (the TRS-L) and TRS located near the start of structural and accessory proteins (TRS-B) near the 3 end of the genome. In addition to the canonical sgRNAs generated by SARS-CoV-2, non-canonical sgRNAs (nc-sgRNAs) have been reported. However, the consistency of these nc-sgRNAs across viral isolates and infection conditions is unknown. The comprehensive definition of SARS-CoV-2 RNA products is a key step in understanding SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. MethodsHere, we report an integrative analysis of eight independent SARS-CoV-2 transcriptomes generated using three sequencing strategies, five host systems, and seven viral isolates. Read-mapping to the SARS-CoV-2 genome was used to determine the 5 and 3 coordinates of all identified junctions in viral RNAs identified in these samples. ResultsUsing junctional abundances, we show nc-sgRNAs make up as much as 33% of total sgRNAs in vitro, are largely consistent in abundance across independent transcriptomes, and increase in abundance over time during in vitro infection. By assessing the homology between sequences flanking the 5 and 3 junction points, we show that nc-sgRNAs are not associated with TRS-like homology. By incorporating read coverage information, we find strong evidence for subgenomic RNAs that contain only 5 regions of ORF1a. Finally, we show that non-canonical junctions change the landscape of viral open reading frames. ConclusionsWe identify canonical and non-canonical junctions in SARS-CoV-2 sgRNAs and show that these RNA products are consistently generated across many independent viral isolates and sequencing approaches. These analyses highlight the diverse transcriptional activity of SARS-CoV-2 and offer important insights into SARS-CoV-2 biology.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2019

Clinical and molecular characterization of virus-positive and virus-negative Merkel cell carcinoma

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a highly aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin mediated by the integration of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) and expression of viral T antigens or by ultraviolet induced damage to the tumor genome from excessive sunlight exposure. An increasing number of deep sequencing studies of MCC have identified significant differences between the number and types of point mutations, copy number alterations, and structural variants between virus-positive and virus-negative tumors. In this study, we assembled a cohort of 71 MCC patients and performed deep sequencing with OncoPanel, a next-generation sequencing assay targeting over 400 cancer-associated genes. To improve the accuracy and sensitivity for virus detection compared to traditional PCR and IHC methods, we developed a hybrid capture baitset against the entire MCPyV genome. The viral baitset identified integration junctions in the tumor genome and generated assemblies that strongly support a model of a hybrid, virus-host, circular DNA intermediate during integration that promotes focal amplification of host DNA. Using the clear delineation between virus-positive and virus-negative tumors from this method, we identified recurrent somatic alterations common across MCC and alterations specific to each class of tumor, associated with differences in overall survival. Comparing the molecular and clinical data from these patients revealed a surprising association of immunosuppression with virus-negative MCC and significantly shortened overall survival. These results demonstrate the value of high-confidence virus detection for identifying clinically important features in MCC that impact patient outcome.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2018

DYRK1A regulates the recruitment of 53BP1 to the sites of DNA damage in part through interaction with RNF169

Human DYRK1A gene encoding Dual-specificity tyrosine (Y)- Regulated Kinase 1A (DYRK1A) is a dosage-dependent gene whereby either trisomy or haploinsufficiency result in developmental abnormalities. However, the function and regulation of this important protein kinase are not fully understood. Here we report proteomic analysis of DYRK1A in human cells that revealed a novel role of DYRK1A in the DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair signaling. This novel function of DYRK1A is mediated in part by its interaction with ubiquitin-binding protein RNF169 that regulates the choice between homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) DSB repair. Accumulation of RNF169 at the DSB sites promotes homologous recombination (HR) by limiting the recruitment of the scaffold protein 53BP1 that promotes NHEJ by protecting the DNA ends from resection. Inducible overexpression of active, but not the kinase inactive, DYRK1A in U-2 OS cells inhibited accumulation of 53BP1 at the DSB sites in RNF169-dependent manner. Mutation of DYRK1A phosphorylation sites in RNF169 or pharmacological inhibition of DYRK1A using harmine decreased the ability of RNF169 to displace 53BP1 from radiation-induced DSB sites. In order to further investigate the role of DYRK1A in regulation of DNA repair, we used CRISPR-Cas9 mediated knockout of DYRK1A in human and mouse cells. Interestingly, knockout of DYRK1A also caused a defect in 53BP1 DSB recruitment that was independent of RNF169, suggesting that dosage of DYRK1A can influence the DNA repair processes through several mechanisms. U-2 OS cells devoid of DYRK1A displayed an increased DNA repair and HR efficiency, and showed a decreased sensitivity to the PARP inhibitor olaparib when compared to control cells. Given evidence of its altered expression in human cancers, DYRK1A levels could represent a significant determinant of the DNA damaging therapy response.

molecular biology↗